As the country woke up to the news of all four accused in the Hyderabad veterinarian rape and murder being killed in an encounter in the wee hours of Friday, 6 December, leaders from across the political spectrum widely welcomed the outcome of the incident.
However, some of them also voiced apprehensions on the way the encounter was carried out.
Hyderabad MP and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “I am against encounters. Even National Human Rights Commission has taken cognisance of the encounter.”
On the other hand, BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore tweeted congratulating the Hyderabad police. He also took a dig at those raising questions on the encounter.
BSP Supremo Mayawati said police in other parts of the country should “take inspiration” from the Hyderabad incident.
"Crimes against women are on the rise in Uttar Pradesh, but the state government is sleeping. Police here and also in Delhi should take inspiration from Hyderabad Police, but unfortunately here criminals are treated like state guests," she told news agency ANI.
SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said that he’s happy that “somebody has got justice.”
“After all, those who run away from the law ... run away from justice. It is good that someone has got justice from this, but the real happiness will be when such an effective preventive security system and protective social environment is created that such heinous crimes should never happen to any sister or daughter,” he tweeted.
‘Better Late Than Never’: Jaya Bachchan
Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said that justice has been done.
“When a criminal tries to escape, police are left with no other option, it can be said that justice has been done,” he said.
Samajwadi Party’s Jaya Bachchan who had recently advocated for lynching of rape accused reacted saying, “Better late than never”.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa backed the police, saying they acted in self- defence.
“They (accused) tried to attack and escape when they were taken to the spot (of the crime), so the encounter was inevitable to save their (police’s) lives,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee went a step ahead and said such encounters should be made legal.
In Bihar, however, discordant voices emerged. While on one hand, former state CM Rabri Devi welcomed the decision saying the incident would “act as a deterrent against criminals,” former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a national vice president of the RJD said, “This is not right. The country has to be governed by law and not by sentiments.”
Meanwhile, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir said, “Judicial system needs to be reformed. The verdict of the fast track court should be final and there should be no further appeals or mercy petitions for death penalty. If the accused in veterinarian rape and murder case were trying to escape then, I stand with police.”
‘Cannot Take Law in Hands’
BJP’s Maneka Gandhi however, said the happenings set a dangerous precedence and people cannot take law in their hands.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted saying extra-judicial killings are “unacceptable” but one should wait before details emerge on the case.
Recently released on bail, former finance minister P Chidambaram said the matter should be inquired into.
“I don't know facts of what happened in Hyderabad. As a responsible person, all I can say is, it must be thoroughly inquired into to find out if it was a genuine encounter whether they were trying to flee or it was anything else.”
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said the incident suggests people have lost their faith on judicial system and they are expressing happiness as they are angry.
On the other hand, Congress MP Amee Yajnik at a press conference in Delhi said, “A magisterial inquiry is taking place. I just cannot speak on what will be the outcome of the magisterial inquiry, but we should wait... We need to hear the police version because all encounters cannot be bracketed into the same terminology.”
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
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