Allowed to meet Hathras victim’s family, Rahul, Priyanka vow to fight for justice

The Uttar Pradesh Government finally did a series of course corrections on Saturday in face of massive criticism it faced for preventing the media and political leaders from meeting the family members of the Hathras gangrape victim and not reaching out to the traumatised family.

In a clear indication that the administration was feeling the heat of public and media outrage, the Government first allowed the media to enter the Hathras village to meet the family members of the victim. Then the DGP and Additional Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh visited the family members and tried to provide them solace and give them the assurance that the Government will address their concerns.

This was the first visit by high-ranking officials of the Government and police since the alleged gangrape that took place on September 14.

Then came the biggest climbdown of all — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were allowed to enter UP after the State Government deployed thousands of policemen to stop them from visiting Hathras. On Friday BJP leader Uma Bharati had slammed the Yogi Government for not allowing the media or political leaders from visiting Hathras.

The day ended with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordering a CBI probe into the entire incident, including sexual assault on the girl and her midnight cremation.

The CM’s decision may not be the end of the story as the family members want a judicial probe into the matter. Talking to the media, several members said they want a court-monitored judicial probe and were not interested in the CBI probe.

The UP Government had little option but to order the CBI probe since the police faced massive criticism for the way it handled the entire case, starting from September 14 when the girl was assaulted and on the fateful night when she was cremated without the presence of her family members, who were locked inside their house.

After the Government decided to place under suspension the Superintendent of Police and four other cops and the family members alleged that the members of the Special Investigation Team tried to buy their silence, the Government had no option but to order a CBI probe to defuse the crisis.

Meanwhile, a day after he was prevented by the Uttar Pradesh administration from visiting Hathras, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi finally met the grieving family.

“It is the UP Government’s duty to protect the family of the Hathras gangrape victim,” Rahul Gandhi said after meeting the family while Priyanka said, “We will continue to struggle till justice is done”. The family members, including the mother of the victim, started crying and hugged Priyanka soon after she reached the place.

Priyanka, who had sought the resignation of Adityanath on the issue, after meeting the mother of the rape victim said the State CM should understand his responsibility.

“The family needs protection,” Priyanka said after a one-on-one chat with the victim’s mother when the Gandhis were inside the house of the victim.

“The family couldn’t see their daughter for the one last time. UP CM Yogi Adityanath should understand his responsibility. Till the time justice is delivered, we’ll continue this fight,” Priyanka said, adding that the family wants a judicial enquiry into the incident.

Rahul before starting his journey on Saturday morning took to Twitter to announce that no power on this earth can stop him from visiting Hathras and meet the family of the rape victim whose body was cremated secretly.

The visit of Rahul and Priyanka and senior Congress leaders came after a dramatic standoff with the cops at the Delhi-UP border. Rahul Gandhi set off from Delhi at around 2.30 pm in a silver Toyota Innova that Priyanka was driving. Their convoy consisted of around 30 Congress MPs, including AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, party MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Shashi Tharoor for the 200 km drive via Yamuna  e-way.

“Nothing in the world can stop me from going to Hathras to meet this unhappy family to share their pain,” Rahul said before leaving, while Priyanka said “If not this time, then we will try again”.

A large number of policemen —some in riot gear and wielding lathis — were deployed at the toll plaza along the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyover with definite instructions — do not allow Congress leaders to cross the border.

However, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi were allowed to leave for Hathras from Delhi along with three other leaders.

The Congress workers and leaders also alleged that policemen had hit them with batons during skirmish while they were trying to cross over to the UP side from Delhi to proceed for Hathras.

Alok Singh, the Noida Police Commissioner said that following the Covid-19 outbreak the authorities have imposed Section 144 of CrPC in Noida and Greater Noida.

“Considering the social distancing and other related norms, permission has been granted for five people, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” he said.

The Government had previously insisted that large gatherings - such as those of the Congress delegation - were not allowed in line with Covid management guidelines. These orders prohibit people from travelling in groups of more than five.

The day also saw mediapersons talking to family members for the first time in three days. During these day-long interaction, family members kept telling about the attempt by the administration and the SIT to buy and browbeat them. The victim’s mother disclosed that the members of the SIT said that they should be happy that they were being given a house and such huge compensation. “After all if her daughter had died of corona, she would have got nothing,” they reportedly told her.