Smriti attacks Rahul for midnight march

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his home constituency here in Uttar Pradesh. She slammed as a farce his midnight march seeking justice for the Unnao and Kathua rape victims.

"Rahul Gandhi earlier stood in support of Gayatri Prasad Prajapati. It's just his compulsion to take a stand this time but Amethi knows the truth. I have faith that justice will be provided," the Minister said.

Prajapati, a Samajwadi Party member, was an accused in a rape case of a woman from Chitrakoot. He was arrested and is now out on bail. Prajapati was fielded as a SP candidate for the Uttar Pradesh polls in 2017, when the Congress was in alliance with the party.

The brutal gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and the inaction of police in the rape of a 17-year-old in Uttar Pradesh' Unnao involving a sitting BJP legislator has led to national outrage.

The Minister said that law agencies and government were "taking necessary action" in the rape incidents. "As a woman, I believe and request there should be no victim shaming," she added.

Kuldeep Singh Sengar, BJP MLA from Unnao, has been accused of raping the Dalit teenager, which came to light only after she tried to commit suicide outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's residence on April 8.

Sengar was questioned by the CBI on Friday, while seven men who raped the minor girl of the Bakarwal community in Jammu have been chargesheeted and kept in police custody.

The minor was gang raped and murdered by these men, who had held her captive in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January.

She was sedated and repeatedly raped before her head was smashed and her body thrown in the forests next to Rasana village.

Gandhi on Thursday led a midnight march to India Gate in New Delhi to protest against both the rape cases and prodded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to walk the talk on saving the girl child.

--IANS

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