NEWDELHI: Breaking his silence on the Unnao and Kathua minor gang-rape cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said, “I want to assure that no criminal will be spared. Our daughters will get justice.”
“Such incidents shake our sensibilities,” he added, in a series of tweets.
He further added, “I had the courage to speak with the Red Fort, question boys, not girls. From family situations, social values to the justice system – we need to strengthen everything. Only then will be able to create the dream of Baba Sahib, new India.”
The Prime Minister also attacked the Congress for politicising the rape incidents and the dilution of SC/ST Act.
“The government won’t allow dilution of law to prevent atrocities on SCs, STs,” said PM Narendra Modi.
“Congress insulted Ambedkar when he was alive and is doing so even after his death. It spreads rumours to further its political interests,” said the PM at the inauguration of Ambedkar National Memorial in Delhi.
Meanwhile, two BJP ministers in Jammu and Kashmir cabinet sent their resignations to state BJP chief Sat Sharma on Friday evening protesting against the Kathua rape incident. Forest minister Chaudhary Lal Singh and industries and commerce minister Chander Prakash Ganga sent their resignations after reports emerged that PDP could break alliance with BJP. PDP had demanded the resignation of the two ministers. The two had reportedly attended an event organised by Hindu Ekta Manch, an outfit that protested against the initial arrests made in the case. It is because of this that the PDP-BJP alliance – already on shaky grounds – may well crumble. CM Mehbooba Mufti is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting on Saturday to decide the future of the alliance – one that has strained further after the Kathua rape case.
In the Unnao rape case, the Allahabad High Court directed the CBI to arrest BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for allegedly raping a minor along with others. The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier detained Sengar for interrogation. The court directed the CBI to carry out investigation strictly in accordance with law and to consider filing an application for cancellation of bail granted to other accused in the case.
Massive outrage gripped India over reports of the minors’ rapes.
An eight-year-old girl child in Kathua in the Jammu region, who belonged to a nomadic Bakerwal community, had disappeared from near her home in the forests on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area, and medical examination pointed towards sexual assault and torture.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao, teen alleged that she was raped by Sengar and others at the MLA’s residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job. Frustrated over the inaction of law enforcement agencies, the victim and her family tried to set themselves ablaze outside UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on April 8. The very next day, her father died allegedly in the jail with post-mortem suggesting serious injuries on his body.
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