Badaun rapes lead to uproar in Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha was disrupted Tuesday as BSP members protested over the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, raising the recent rape and murder of two girls in Badaun district.

The protest, led by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati in the upper house, saw members from her party rush near the chairman's podium, demanding dismissal of the Samajwadi Party government.

As the house met for the day, Mayawati raised the issue of rape and murder of the two girls in Badaun and said the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh was deteriorating.

"There is 'jungle raj' in the state," she said.

"The law and order situation is very bad. There is need for the central government to intervene and immediately impose President's Rule in the state and dismiss the state government," she said.

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav protested her remarks as BSP members trooped near the chairman's podium, raising slogans demanding dismissal of the Uttar Pradesh government.

Chairman Hamid Ansari urged the BSP members to take up the matter during the discussion on the motion of thanks on the president's address.

As the BSP members continued to protest, Ansari adjourned the house for 10 minutes.

When the house re-assembled, Mayawati along with BSP members staged a walkout.

Talking to reporters later, Mayawati asked why a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was not being ordered in the case.

"The victims' families say that they have no hope of justice from the Uttar Pradesh government. I have come to know from the director general of police's statement that the state government has not given the case to be pursued by the CBI, and this has led to the victim's families going on a hunger strike," the BSP leader said.

She alleged that the Bharatiya Janata party was supporting the Samajwadi Party.

"Earlier, the Congress was with the Samajwadi Party, and now, the BJP is supporting them. No central minister is saying a word against them," she added.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the president's address later, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been quiet on the issue.

"Why has the BJP government and prime minister kept quiet on the issue?" Mishra asked.

Two teenaged girls were allegedly raped and later hanged from a tree May 27 in Katra Sadatganj village of Badaun district, causing a national uproar.