New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday said the BJP's expulsion of the Unnao rape accused MLA was an acknowledgement of having "empowered" a criminal, and took a dig at the Modi government, asking why the "beti bachao beti padhao gang" was silent on the matter.
The party also hailed the Supreme Court order transferring all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a court in Uttar Pradesh to a court in the national capital.
In a series of tweets, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "grateful to the SC for taking cognisance of the 'Jungle Raj' being unleashed in UP."
"The BJP finally acknowledges having empowered a criminal and takes some action to correct itself and move in the direction of justice for a young woman who has suffered immeasurably," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet, tagging a media report on the MLA's expulsion from the BJP.
Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone? This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident.— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 30, 2019
Facing public outrage and opposition attack on the issue, some BJP leaders claimed that the party has expelled Sengar, currently in jail. However, there was no official confirmation from the party.
The four-time MLA was arrested on April 13 last year after a woman accused him of raping her at his residence in 2017 when she was a minor.
Public anger over the matter exploded after he was accused of orchestrating a road accident in which the rape survivor and her lawyer were critically injured and two of her aunts were killed when their car was hit by a speeding truck in Raebareli in UP. The girl's family has alleged that the accident was an attempt to eliminate her.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court also directed that all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident should be transferred from a court in Uttar Pradesh to a court in the national capital. The court also directed the state government to provide Rs 25 lakh to the rape survivor as interim compensation.
"The Supreme Court's order is proof of the fact that neither the Adityanath government is capable of maintaining law and order, nor it is capable of punishing criminals," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
He also claimed that by transferring all cases to Delhi and ordering CRPF to provide security to the rape survivor, the apex court has exposed the malicious intentions of the UP government and police.
Accusing the BJP of not taking any action against Unnao rape case accused MLA of two years, All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev asked why the "beti bachao beti padhao gang" was silent on the issue.
The 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (save the girl, educate the girl) is a central scheme aimed at addressing declining child sex ratio and issues of women empowerment.
"The family members of the victim are extremely fearful of what has happened to them. They fear for their lives and that is what they wrote in the letter to the Chief Justice of India. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (Yogi) Adityanath has made a mockery of women's security," Dev added.
She also attacked BJP chief Amit Shah for allegedly not taking any action against Sengar for two years.
"It is said that the 'beti bachao beti padhao gang' is silent over the issue. Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani is an MP from UP, the PM himself is an MP from UP. But they are silent. This is selective outrage on women's issues," Dev said.
Earlier, Surjewala, during his press briefing after a meeting of Congress general secretaries, alleged that the BJP government has "totally and utterly" failed in giving adequate protection to the Unnao rape victim.
"The Adityanath government has become notorious for protecting the guilty and criminals in the last couple of years...UP has actually now become 'Apraadh Pradesh' (crime state) under the BJP government," he alleged.
"First, a gruesome crime like rape was committed by those being protected by the highest echelons of powers in the BJP government of UP. Then, the rape victim lost her father who was killed in police custody and the truth is yet to come out," Surjewala alleged.
Even the witnesses died mysteriously, multiple threats were issued to the rape survivor and her family, and the Adityanath government "kept quiet actually tacitly protecting the guilty", he alleged.
The security granted to the rape victim suddenly disappeared in a mysterious fashion and then a truck being driven on the wrong side with grease being put on the front and back number plate so that numbers can't be identified, went and rammed into the vehicle in which she was travelling, Surjewala said.
"Is this justice? Is this not complicity of power that is in Uttar Pradesh at the highest level? Is Adityanath ji not guilty himself by implication for not being able to shield the daughter of Unnao," he said.
In another tweet, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the question on the minds of all women and girls in Uttar Pradesh is whether voices against a resourceful person, who has done wrong, will be heard.
Her remarks came after a girl student in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday asked a senior police officer if she would face the same fate as the Unnao rape victim, who was recently injured in an accident.
On Tuesday, the Centre handed over the case to the CBI on the recommendation of UP government. The CBI has booked 10 people for murder, including Sengar.
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