Karat accuses Hooda govt of apathy towards rape victims

"There are around 20 cases which are six to eight months old. Leave alone they being sent to the court, even FIRs have not been registered in many of them and accused have not been arrested so far as most of the victims are from poor dalit families. Haryana government has done nothing except for giving assurances," she told reporters at a public hearing on rape cases organised by several women right's group here at Jantar Mantar.

Many rape victims who came from various parts of Haryana, shared their horrific ordeal and alleged police and administrative apathy during the hearing.

These days, when the Centre is taking various steps to provide speedy justice and rehabilitation to the victims, Hooda government in the neighbouring state has turned a blind eye to those, Karat alleged.

Demanding that every rape be handed over to fast track courts within three months to ensure speedy justice, she said "the need of the hour is that the government rehabilitates and provide legal aid to rape victims. These are poor woman and it's impossible for them to afford the legal procedure."

She said in a case of rape of a disabled minor girl, "the government has not even fulfilled even the minimum requirements."

After their voices were left unheard in Haryana, various womens' right's group had organised the three-day long public hearing in the national capital to make the victims' voice heard at the national level.