Girl shifted for medical reasons, not political: Government

NEW DELHI: Shifting of the 23-year-old gang rape victim was "purely a medical decision" and there was no political interference in the matter, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said today.

He also said the government only helped in the logistics like providing passports for travel, hospitalisation and boarding and lodging of the family.

"The shifting was not done due to some political reasons. It was done for medical purposes. It was purely a medical decision take by the doctors," Khurshid said when asked about reports that Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was instrumental in shifting of the rape victim.

He said, "I am also sure that the doctors would have explored other option like the US, UK or Germany before settling for Singapore. They must have looked at travel time to these destinations before finalising the hospital."

He also hoped that the determination and willpower shown by the girl to come this far against all odds will continue and she will be fine.

The rape victim, who was under treatment here in Safdarjung hospital after being brutally gang raped on December 16, was flown out on December 26 night to Singapore in an air ambulance for specialised treatment in Mount Elizabeth hospital, which has a state-of-the-art facility for multi-organ transplant.

Following the decision to shift her, passport and Singapore visa for the girl and some of her family members accompanying her in the air ambulance were expedited by the External Affairs Ministry and the Indian High Commission in Singapore arranged for the victim to be received at the hospital there.

The minister also talked about the wide-spread protests against the gang rape saying it reflected the "deep-rooted concern" among the public and not anger so much.