Union Human Resource and Development minister Prakash Javadekar took a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for not taking out a “candle march” for Nirbhaya.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday, Javadekar also said that while his party took action against the two ministers under fire for participating in a rally organised to defend one of the accused in the gang-rape case of an 8-year-old in Kathua, Rahul Gandhi is yet to take action against a leader of his own party over the same reason.
The two leaders Javadekar was referring to are Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga. Javadekar said that his party took action even though the “ministers went to represent the sentiments of local population”.
“Our ministers resigned, but why isn’t Rahul ji taking any action against Congress state chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir for saying the same?” said Javadekar demanding an apology.
Mir, the chief of the Jammu-Kashmir Congress, had triggered a controversy for claiming that the “real culprits” are being protected and that the sentiments of the local people cannot be ignored. In a video aired at the BJP briefing, Mir is also heard defending the participants of the rally by saying that they never said the victim should not get justice.
“There have been a series of similar incidents during Congress rule,” claimed Javadekar, adding, “Yet Gandhi remained quiet; he did not act then and is still not acting.”
The Minister also attacked the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
“The Jammu Bar Association chief was polling agent of Azad when he contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Azad ji has no responsibility?” asked Javadekar.
Citing the example of a Jodhpur fast track court which handed strict punishment to the accused in a rape case within a month, the Union minister demanded similar justice for the 8-year-old Kathua victim.
Reacting to the BJP’s charge, Congress leader Pawan Khera said that the two ministers were removed only after the media increased the pressure on the saffron party.
“Why didn’t the party sack Ajay Singh Bisht (Yogi Adityanath), the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh?” asked Khera claiming that he defended the MLA accused in the Unnao rape case till the Allahabad High Court intervened.
He also called the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a “Clean-chit Bureau of India”. “No one trusts it. This is why our party leader Kapil Sibal demanded a judicial inquiry,” said Khera.
He also asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers are so insensitive to such horrific cases.
Meanwhile, the lawyers of the Kathua victim are reportedly planning to request the Supreme Court to transfer the case out of the Jammu-Kashmir High Court.