The Congress on Saturday launched multi-pronged attack on the Modi Government for increasing stances of rape and crime against women. While priyanka Gandhi led the Congress protest in Unnao, her brother Rahul Gandhi highlighted the issue during his visit to Wayanad — his parliamentary constituency. The party also held a press conference in Delhi to corner the BJP over crime against women.
Winding up a three-day tour of his Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress MP also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said his (Modi's) entire political career was based on hatred and division and violence.
"The girls, sisters and mothers must be shocked when they read newspapers that every day a girl is raped or killed... The international community today ridicules India. India is known as the rape capital of the world," Gandhi said.
In an apparent reference to the rape case against UP BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, he alleged that the Prime Minister had failed to react when the victim's car was hit by a truck.
"UP BJP MLA is involved in rape and PM hasn't said a word. Her car is hit by a truck and PM doesn't say a word... Foreign nations are asking this question why the nation can't take care of its daughters," Gandhi said.
Directly attacking the Prime Minister, Gandhi said Modi represents the worst aspects of the country.
"We have a PM who believes in the ideology of hatred and violence. His entire political career is based on hatred and division and violence. He divides religions communities and languages, he insults culture. He doesn't understand economics.
Our people live in fear and discomfort," Gandhi said and urged the people of the country not to "underestimate" their (peoples) strength to change the narrative of the nation.
In Delhi, Congress attacked the Uttar Pradesh Government over the death of the Unnao rape victim who was set ablaze, alleging that law-and-order situation has "completely collapsed" in the State which is becoming the country's "rape capital". Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also demanded strict action against the accused in the case.
"He is the father, I can understand his pain and his disappointment. I empathise with the family and we solidly stand with them in this hour of grief... But law and order is the basis of any civil society. "Law and order needs to be strengthened to an extent where perpetrators of crime against women don't have the courage to do anything. Police needs to be sensitised to first make it safe for women, and in case of a crime lodge FIRs and offer protection instead of shielding the accused," she said.
Hitting out at the State Government, Shrinate said that it is "not the first and this will not indeed be the last case if you (UP Government) don't wake up. The State Government seems to be in a dying hurry to become the rape capital".
"More than assurance, the Uttar Pradesh Government needs to strengthen the law-and-order in the State. Our question is to the State police is why FIR was not registered in four months and why the accused were left out on bail," Shrinate told reporters.
She was responding to a statement of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who gave the assurance that the case would be pleaded in a fast-track court to provide speedy justice to the deceased woman's family.
"How do accused get away by committing such heinous crimes? What gives them the courage to do so? The answer is, it is due to complete collapse of law and order in the state. They somehow find political protection and that is why they have the courage to go ahead and do this against our women," the Congress spokesperson said. She also questioned the silence of the Prime Minister and senior BJP leaders.
"We can't turn a blind eye. Why are the prime minister, all those ministers who took to streets earlier now silent. Why is there a conspicuous silence in the matter?" she posed.