Scindia demands CBI probes into minor's rape, Dalit farmer's killing in MP

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia today sought separate CBI probes into the gang rape of a minor girl in Mandsaur and the burning alive of a Dalit farmer in Bhopal recently.

He alleged that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has failed to protect women and Dalits in the state.

"CBI inquiries should be carried out into the gang rape of the 8-year-old girl on June 26 in Mandsaur district and the burning alive of the Dalit farmer in Bhopal last week," Scindia told reporters at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Central Press Club here.

The Guna MP also demanded strict action against the school where the rape victim studied, alleging the authorities there allowed the minor to walk out of school, after classes got over for the day, without the presence of her parents or guardian.

Scindia said that schools must ensure that children are handed over to their parents once classes got over for the day.

The eight-year-old was abducted on June 26 from outside her school, while she was waiting for her parents to come and pick her up, and was raped near Laxman Darwaja Road.

Scindia said that he had recently met the family of Dalit farmer Kishorilal Jatav (70), who was burnt alive on June 21 by three persons in Beresia tehsil near here for opposing the encroachment of his land.

He said that Jatav's wife had told him that the tehsildar and area police inspector were allegedly trying to save the culprits and mounting pressure on her to change her statement given to the police.

"These two officials must be removed immediately from that area," he said.

Attacking the BJP government in MP, he said it "has failed to protect women and Dalits in the state. It has failed on all counts".

On the government hiring retired officials, Scindia said that he was opposed to such moves.

"I am averse to the Centre and state governments' moving to hire retired government bureaucrats. If they are hired in the run up to the polls, it is all the more wrong as such decisions smack of conspiracies," he said.

"I am also against service extensions being given to top bureaucrats who are on the verge of retirement," he added.

He advocated a fixed number of terms for an individual for the post of the prime minister and state chief ministers like in the United States of America where an individual can be the president only for two terms.