A day after the Unnao rape victim succumbed to her injuries, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday, 8 December, met the victim’s kin and extended her condolences to them.
Gandhi hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had earlier said there is no place for criminals in the state. “Looking at what he has turned the state into, I think there is no place for women here,” Priyanka said, according to ANI.
“The victim’s whole family has been constantly harassed since last year. I have heard that the culprits have some BJP connection. That is why they were being shielded. There is no fear among criminals in the state.”Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary
Earlier, the Congress general secretary questioned the UP government as to why the victim was not given security, keeping in mind a similar incident that took place in the same district.
She was referring to another alleged attack in the district in July, when the car in which a woman, who had accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar of raping her, was hit by a truck.
She also said it is collective failure of the society that the victim was not able to get justice.
“As a society we are all guilty, but it also shows the hollowness of the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh,” she tweeted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences to the victim's kin and said he is “angry and shocked at the incident which has embarrassed humanity.”
Earlier, Rahul had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for rise in violence and breakdown of institutional structures in the country.
UP Police Lathi-Charged Cong Protesters: Reports
Meanwhile, the Congress leaders on Saturday, 7 December, demanded strict action against the accused in the Unnao rape case and protested outside the BJP office in Lucknow, according to media reports.
The Uttar Pradesh police reportedly resorted to lathi-charge against the protesters.
The 23-year-old rape victim had been airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital after she was set ablaze allegedly by five persons, including two men accused of raping her, died Friday night. She had suffered 90 percent burns in incident.
The mortal remains of the victim are being taken to her village in Unnao, from the Safdarjung hospital.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)