While the Union Home Ministry has sought report from Uttar Pradesh Government on action being taken by the latter in the ghastly rape and murder case of two minor girls in Badayun district, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Sudarshan Bhagat said here on Friday that his Ministry too was keeping a close watch on the situation in UP and the steps being taken to bring the culprits to book.

 The MoS said that the incident that took place in a UP village was "beneath contempt" and the culprits would soon be under the clutches of law. "We have been continuously following the developments there (UP). I have got information from the ministry also. It is important to see what the state government is going to arrest the culprits. Our Cabinet Minister and the ministry will take appropriate steps as and when needed," said the minister adding that he or his senior colleague would talk to UP CM Akhilesh Yadav soon.

Bhagat made it clear that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment of the Union Government takes such heinous crimes very seriously and it would ensure that the inhumane criminals get the harshest punishment under the law.

Earlier Bhagat, who reached Ranchi for the first time after taking oath as a minister in PM Narendra Modi's Cabinet on Friday, received a grand welcome by supporters and party workers. The lohardaga MP, who is the lone representative of the State in the PM's team, was garlanded with flowers and welcomed with traditional Chhau dance and local drum beats.

Addressing hundreds of elated party workers and his supporters at the State BJP office Bhagat said that his victory was the win of party workers and PM Narendra Modi had honoured party workers by allotting him a space in the Union Government. "My department will fulfil the pledges taken by the party. I will leave no stone unturned to execute (Central ) schemes not only in Jharkhand but also in the whole nation.  It will be my privilege to work for the poor and the downtrodden in the coming days," said Bhagat.

Congratulating the minister state BJP leaders said that they believed Bhagat would rise upto the expectations of the people of the state and fulfil his responsibilities as a minister responsibly. They hoped that just like Congress-free India, Jharkhand will also get a BJP government with at least 50 seats in the Assembly polls scheduled at the end of the year.