Bulandshahr rape: 'Mockery' of democracy if politicians like Azam Khan are elected, says activist

With the Bulandshahr rape victim moving the Supreme Court to file case against the Samajwadi Party leader (SP) Azam Khan for passing disgraceful comment, former National Commission for Women (NCW) member Shamina Shafiq on Saturday said it is 'mockery' of the democratic system to elect such politicians.

"It is mockery of the entire democratic setup that we have if we are selecting and electing people who end up making such bizarre statements against women. they are so concerned as far as their buffalos and cows are concerned," she said.

Shafiq said this is very unfortunate and shocking that the state government is not taking actions against their own leader who is passing such bizarre statements.

"It is absolutely deplorable that now the victims, the survivor of sexual violence have to reach out to the Supreme Court for not getting justice as far as insuring that the perpetrator of the crime gets punished, but also against the people who are torch bearers of the legal system," she added.

The minor victim of the case moved the Supreme Court earlier today demanding to register FIR against Khan and the erring police officials.

The other demands of the minor victim include the transfer of this case to New Delhi, a court-monitored probe, security and rehabilitation.

Earlier this month, the Samajwadi Party leader kicked up a controversy with his insensitive remarks suggesting that this incident of gang-rape could be a political conspiracy against the Uttar Pradesh Government.

The Allahabad High Court had yesterday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the Bulandshahr gang-rape case observing that it was 'not satisfied' with the police investigation so far.

The incident had taken place when six members of a Noida-based family were travelling to Shahjahanpur in western Uttar Pradesh.

At the National Highway passing through Bulandshahr, their car was stopped by criminals, who dragged the 13-year-old girl and her mother out and raped them in a field nearby.