The National Commission for Women (NCW) will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding for the dismissal of Union Minister Nihalchand after his name came up in an alleged rape case.
Nihalchand, who is the current Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, with 16 others were named in an FIR lodged by a 24-year-old married woman from Jaipur. In the FIR filed in 2011, she alleged that the accused had sexually exploited her.
“This is completely unacceptable. Even when a minister commits a heinous crime like rape, the punishment meted out to him should be the same as that for a commoner.”
“I will soon be writing to the Prime Minister and seek action against the minister.... The minister must be immediately dismissed from government,” NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma said.
Nihalchand and the other accused have been asked by a Jaipur court to appear before it in connection with the case. The notices were issued by the court on a review petition filed by the complainant.
Nihalchand is the only MP from Rajasthan in Modi’s Cabinet. Congress has already questioned Modi’s silence over the issue while demanding Nihalchand’s resignation. Congress leader Shobha Oza had pulled a fast one when she said that despite Modi giving speeches on the safety of women, Nihalchand continues to remain seated.