Rahul visits Hathras gang rape victim’s kin, criticises govt for ‘unmet promises’

Agra: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and Congress’s Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi visited Bool Garhi village in Hathras on Thursday to meet the family of a 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after an alleged gang rape in Sept 2020. He criticised the BJP govt for failing to fulfil promises of justice, relocation, and employment made to the family. In response, UP deputy CM Brajesh Pathak accused Gandhi of “attempting to incite unrest and spread anarchy” in the state.
Gandhi reached the family’s home at around 11.15am, after clearance from the CRPF deployed for their security. Local officials said his visit caught police by surprise. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi wrote: “Today, I visited Hathras and met with the family of the victim of the shameful and unfortunate incident that occurred four years ago. The things they shared during our meeting shook me to the core. The entire family is still living in the shadow of fear. They are being treated like criminals. They cannot move freely; they are under constant surveillance by guns and cameras.”
He added, “The promises made to them by the BJP govt have not been fulfilled to this day. They have not been provided with govt jobs, nor has the promise to relocate them to another residence been honoured. Instead of providing justice to the victim’s family, govt is subjecting them to various forms of oppression. On the other hand, the accused roam freely. The despair and disappointment of this family reflect the harsh reality of the atrocities being committed against Dalits by BJP.”
The victim’s family continues to live under tight security in their village. They reiterated their demands for relocation and a job during Gandhi’s visit. “My father had written a letter to Rahul Gandhi in July 2024 asking him for support in seeking justice. He paid us a surprise visit and assured us that he would pursue the issues we have been struggling with over the last four years. Our life has become hell. We live in jail-like conditions. We can neither go to work nor can our kids go to school. The state govt has backtracked from its promises,” said the victim’s elder brother.
Meanwhile, deputy CM Brajesh Pathak accused Gandhi of attempting to stir unrest. Speaking to reporters in Ballia district, Pathak said: “The Hathras incident has been investigated by the CBI, and the case is pending in court. He wants to incite people and ignite the fire of anarchy and riots in Uttar Pradesh. The people of Uttar Pradesh will never accept this.”
The Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped by four men on Sep 14, 2020 and brutally violated. She succumbed to her injuries at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital 15 days later. Her hurried cremation near her home the next day triggered outrage across the country. The family alleged that the police delayed filing the FIR, locked them in their house, and forced the cremation without their consent.
On March 2, 2023, one of the accused, Sandeep Sisodia, was convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and under sections of the SC/ST Act. He was acquitted of the charge of rape. The other three accused were set free.
Courtesy : TOI
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