CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy on Thursday alleged that the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh State government are shielding the accused in the Hathras rape case while trying to intimidate the victim’s family and their supporters.
A rally was taken out by the Left parties and peoples’ organisations from Saraswati Park to Gandhi statue near GVMC in protest against the growing incidents of violence and sexual assault against women and Dalits.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Murthy alleged that the BJP leaders and MLAs were trying to portray rapes and crimes against women as a part of Indian culture, apart from promoting communalism, casteism and patriarchy. He condemned the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for not allowing Opposition parties to show their support to the victim, while at the same time allowing people from an upper caste community to hold rallies in support of the accused.
“Not even a single FIR was registered against the accused, but 19 FIRs were registered against those who supported the victim,” Mr. Murthy said, alleging that journalists were also implicated in false cases.
CPI city secretary M. Pydiraju presided over the rally. R.K.S.V. Kumar (CPI-M), Lakshmi (POW), Prabhavathi (AIDWA), B. Venkata Rao (DHPS) and A. Vimala (A.P. Mahila Samakhya) were among those who participated.
