Breaking his silence on the gruesome incidents of rape in Unnao and Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said no criminal will be spared and justice will be delivered. Minutes after the Prime Minister’s assurance, the two BJP Ministers in Jammu & Kashmir Government, who had defended the Kathua rape accused, submitted their resignation.
“The incidents in the past two days are an embarrassment to the civilised society. We bow our head before the founding figures of the nation. No culprit will be spared, justice will be delivered,” the Prime Minister said at an event to inaugurate the BR Ambedkar Memorial here.
“Those daughters will get due justice; all of us have to fix the problem together. The Government of India will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the guilty don’t go unpunished,” Modi added.
In Jammu, J&K Forest Minister lal Singh and Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga, who had allegedly exhorted Hindu Ekta Manch members to continue protesting against the arrest of the Kathua rape accused, on Friday submitted their resignations to State BJP chief Sat Pal Sharma.
While confirming the sudden development, senior party spokesman Brig Anil Gupta told The Pioneer, “Both the Cabinet Ministers submitted their resignations to State party chief Sat Pal Sharma on Friday evening.”
Brig Anil Gupta said the party Ministers took this step as loyal soldiers of the party because image of the party was being tarnished by the leaders of the various Opposition parties.
Meanwhile, party general secretary Ram Madhav is expected to visit Jammu on Saturday morning to take stock of the current political situation in the State.
Brig Anil Gupta also confirmed, party Ministers and legislators are meeting on Saturday to chalk future course of action.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti too has directed all PDP Ministers and party MlAs to attend party meeting in Srinagar to discuss the current political developments centring around Kathua gangrape and murder case of a minor girl.
The Prime Minister also reacted to criticism from the Opposition that his Government mishandled the case related to the dilution of the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court and delayed in filing review petition. “Our Government has always made effort to maintain balance in society by law. It was our Government in 2015 that strengthened the law on atrocities against the Dalits,” said Modi.
“When our Government made amendment in the Dalit law, the provision against anticipatory bail to the accused was kept intact. The amount of compensation to the victim was also raised. To assure that the law is followed, our Government spent more than the previous Government,” the Prime Minister said.
Reacting to the criticism of the delay in filing the review petition, Modi pointed out that the Centre took only 12 days to file the review petition after the SC verdict on March 20. “When the honourable Supreme Court delivered its verdict on March 20, it took us only 12 days to file the review petition. I want to assure the nation that we will not allow dilution of the SC/SC Act.” said Modi.
Slamming the Congress for ignoring BR Ambedkar, Modi said “I challenge the Congress to tell about a single work done by them for Baba Saheb, any single work done by them as a mark of respect to him.”
He also said many Governments came to power after Independence but what should have been done much before has happened now, after decades. “This memorial is a tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” said Modi.
“The project was supposed to begin during Atal’s regime but the Congress stalled it. In 2014, after forming our Government, we had to reopen the project and worked on it on priority. On March 26, 2016, I had said that I will inaugurate the memorial,” the Prime Minister said.