Duty of government to protect women: Gujarat CM reacts to Badaun gang-rape case

Gujarat CM slams gang-rape and murder of two teenage cousin sisters, 14 and 15 years, in Ushait of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh

In a strong reaction to the gang-rape and murder of two teenage girls in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh, the first woman chief minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel has termed the incident and its aftermath as ‘unacceptable’ and said that it was the duty of every government to protect women in their states.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s successor in Gujarat has chosen to speak up publically and fix the responsibility of the state governments in protecting their women.

“The happenings and aftermath in UP (Uttar Pradesh)  r (are) unacceptable...it is the duty of any govt, any society, anywhere in world to protect and empower women,” Patel Tweeted on the micro-blogging site. This is first ever criticism by Patel of her Uttar Pradesh counterpart Akhilesh Yadav.

The Akhilesh Yadav government has faced lot of flake from various corners over the handling of the incident.

Two teenage cousin sisters, aged 14 and 15 years, were allegedly gang-raped and murdered and their bodies were found hanging from a mango tree in a village in Ushait area of Badaun. The girls went missing on May 27 and their bodies were found on May 28 in the district. Badaun is located 300 km from Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow. The postmortem report of the two girls confirmed that they were raped before murder.

The rape victims’ family has demanded public hanging of the culprits and refused to take compensation saying they want justice. Five accused, including two policemen, have been arrested in connection with the gang rape and murder of two dalit sisters in Badaun.