Congress deplores new ‘Hathras narrative’, promises action on Chhattisgarh rape issue

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday deplored, what it called, attempts to defame the character of the victim of the Hathras incident, after reports citing the Uttar Pradesh Police claimed that the main accused and the woman were in regular touch which had caused hostility between the accused and the family members of the victim.

On the other hand, after facing BJP counterattack over reports of a two-month delay in filing of an FIR in a gang-rape case and the suicide of the victim in the party-ruled Chhattisgarh, Congress spokespersons said the state government would do speedy redressal of the complaint.

Responding to reports about the latest claim by the UP Police and the accused of the Hathras case, AICC general secretary in charge of UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted: “Creating a narrative that defames a woman’s character and holding her somehow responsible for crimes committed against her is revolting and regressive. A heinous crime has been committed at Hathras, leaving a 20-year-old Dalit woman dead. Her body has been burned without the participation or consent of her family. She deserves justice not slander.”


MANJU VERMA ROW
The AICC targeted the Janata Dal (U) for giving a ticket to sacked former Bihar minister Manju Verma, an accused in the Muzaffarour shelter home rape cases, for the upcoming state elections.

Terming it as an example of the Nitish Kumar regime in Bihar being insensitive towards crime against women, AICC spokespersons Sushmita Dev and Supriya Shrinathe asked the BJP and the Prime Minister to force Kumar to withdraw the ticket to Verma or else snap its ties with the JD(U), if they were serious about curbing crime against women and providing justice.

ON BACKFOOT OVER CHHATTISGARH
Faced with repeated questions on the Chhattisgarh incident, the two AICC spokespersons said the Congress als0 deplored all kinds of atrocities against women in whichever state it happened, and added the Bhupesh Baghel government had assured the AICC of speedy action in the matter.