Hathras case | Congress to hold nationwide ‘Satyagrah’ on Monday

We will ensure justice to the victim and her family, it says

Congress party workers stage a protest, demanding the transfer of Hathras district Magistrate Praveen Kumar Laxkar on October 4, 2020.

Continuing its campaign against the Yogi Adityanath government for the brutal gangrape and murder of a Dalit girl from Hathras , the Congress will hold ‘Satyagrah’ in district headquarters across the country on Monday.

In a statement, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said the incident has shaken the conscience of the nation. “The brazen inhumanity and illegal high-handedness shown by the BJP government of U.P. in denying basic dignity to the victim even in death and afterwards towards the family has left everyone beyond shock,” Mr. Venugopal said.

He slammed the State police for the “casual and cavalier attitude” in taking cognizance of the victims’ complaints and delay in providing her immediate medical attention. “The 19-year-old girl was denied justice and dignity in both life and death.

Her body was cremated without the consent of the family in the dead of night.”

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and State incharge Priyanka Gandhi were

both stopped at the Delhi-U.P. border on Thursday when they made the first attempt to meet the victim’s family. Both were detained and the party workers who accompanied them were roughed up by the police. The two along with Mr. Venugopal and others were allowed to meet the family on Saturday after another faceoff between the Congress and the police.

“The Congress party has resolved to relentlessly fight against arbitrary and unconstitutional ways of the Yogi government and ensure justice to the victim and her family. In our continued effort to provide justice to the family of Hathras victim, the party has decided to hold ‘Satyagrah’ on Monday,” Mr. Venugopal said.

The party workers will organise silent sit-ins at the Mahatma Gandhi or the B.R. Ambedkar statues.