Amid continuing uproar over the spurt in heinous crime against women in Haryana, the Chief Minister Manohar lal on Wednesday met BJP chief Amit Shah to apprise him of the current law and order situation and political developments in the state.
Besides, the Chief Minister also held a meeting with senior police officers in New Delhi and directed them to personally monitor the cases of crime against women and children and ensure prompt action in such complaints.
The opposition parties, on the other hand, have stepped up their diatribe against the BJP led Haryana Government demanding resignation of Chief Minister and dismissal of his government in the wake of recent incidents of rape and murders being reported from different parts of the state.
A Congress delegation led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev on Wednesday met Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki to press for their demand of dismissal of BJP led State Government over the deteriorating law and order situation in Haryana.
Indian National lok Dal, the main opposition in Haryana, has also demanded resignation of Chief Minister on moral grounds and imposition of President’s rule in the state.
The recent incidents of brutal rape and murders in Haryana has shocked the entire country and also, put the BJP led Haryana Government under tremendous pressure over the issue of women safety.
In a disturbing trend witnessed in Haryana, in at least three cases since December last year, the gangrape victims were not only killed but the assailants also mutilated their private parts. Two minor dalit girls were allegedly raped and killed in separate incidents in Haryana during last week, barely a month after a similar case involving a six-year-old girl shook the state.
Chief Minister Manohar lal held a meeting with senior police officers of Haryana on Wednesday morning and later, met BJP president Amit Shah in the national capital.
Though there is no official word on what transpired in more than half an hour meeting between the two leaders in New Delhi, it is learnt that Manohar lal apprised Amit Shah about the law and order situation in Haryana and also, discussed the upcoming visit of the BJP chief to the state in February.
After the meeting, the Chief Minister also broke his silence after four days and urged the opposition parties not to politicise the recent rape and murder cases besides assuring to nab the culprits.
A day before, the Chief Minister had issued directions to Director General of Police to step up vigilance and patrolling of the isolated and vulnerable areas in the state to create a safe environment for women and children.
Manohar lal had also asked the DGP to take stern action, in case of any lapse or negligence on part of any staff or police official of any rank.
Meanwhile, protests were held in various parts of Haryana against the State Government. Several people also took to the streets in the national capital to protest against the BJP government and burnt effigies of the Chief Minister outside the Haryana Bhawan.
leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala has sought a public apology from Manohar lal for his failure to prevent the surge in crime against women and children in Haryana.
“The Chief Minister is holding the charge of Home Department and has completely failed to maintain law and order situation. Manohar lal should apologise to the people of Haryana and also, tender his resignation on moral grounds, said Chautala while talking to the mediapersons.
Congress submits memorandum to Governor, also carries out cycle rally
A delegation of Congress led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev met Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki to demand dismissal of the State Government.
Among others present in the delegation including former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Selja, state Congress legislative Party leader Kiran Choudhry and several sitting and former MlAs of the party.
After the meeting, Hooda while talking to the mediapersons said that many incidents of rapes and murders have happened in the last few days in Haryana and the State Government has failed to take any steps to prevent such crimes.
The Government is directionless and have failed to issue instructions to the state police, he alleged.
As this government has failed in its prime responsibility of maintaining law and order situation, the Chief Minister Manohar lal should resign, otherwise the Governor should dismiss this government, added the two-time former Chief Minister.
Hooda further said that a total of 1,187 rape cases were reported in Haryana in 2016, including 191 gang rapes. The number of crime cases against women increased from 9,010 to 9,839 in three years (since 2014), added he.
Referring to the recent rape and murder cases, Hooda said “I had met family members of the victims and they wanted CBI probe as they have lost faith in the state police.”
Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, who was holding manthan-chivir in Gurugram, carried out a cycle rally on Wednesday and demanded dismissal of the State Government.
The BJP’s slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ is rendered meaningless with incidents of gang rapes and murders being reported from Faridabad, Jind, Panipat and various parts of the state in less than a week, said Tanwar.
BJP hits back at Congress
Under fire over the rise in crime against women in Haryana, the Bharatiya Janta Party has hit back at the Congress releasing a list of incidents of crime against women and cases of honour killings during the tenure of previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda led Haryana Government.
Haryana BJP media incharge, Rajiv Jain on Wednesday condemned the recent incidents of gang rapes in the State and said that the State Government would take strict action in all these cases and ensured that the culprits will get maximum punishment.
While launching a scathing attack on former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar and Congress MlA Randeep Singh Surjewala for politicising the incidents of crime against women, Jain said, “Had the Congress taken any effective steps against the skewed sex ratio and harassment of women, the people with pervert mentality would not have been grown in the society.”
Hooda has no moral right to speak on this issue, said Jain adding that instead of doing politics on such sensitive issues, the Congress leaders should positively contribute towards giving right direction to the society.
Jain further alleged that during the Hooda Government, people who indulged in the exploitation and harassment of women got the Government’s protection and the common man had lost hopes of getting justice.