Opposition leaders across the political spectrum on Thursday slammed the Yogi Adityanath government over the rape and murder of two Dalit girls in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying women’s security cannot be expected from those facilitating the release of rapists.
“The kidnapping and murder of two minor Dalit sisters in Lakhimpur in broad daylight is a very disturbing incident. Women’s safety cannot be expected from those facilitating the release of rapists and welcoming them,” Mr. Gandhi said in a reference to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case being released last month under the Gujarat government’s remission policy.
The former Congress chief also stressed the need for creating a safe environment for women.
Trinamool’s poser
Lok Sabha member and Trinamool Congress leader Kakoli Dastidar questioned the ‘silence’ of the National Commission for Women (NCW) and criticised the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
“It is deplorable how the National Women’s Commission is remaining silent over the gruesome rape and murder of two Dalit girls in Lakhmipur Kheri. Law and order in Uttar Pradesh under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has come to a nadir. But the Mahila Commission is not taking cognisance, not taking any action against the errant miscreants but they are very active if any little happens in West Bengal,” said Ms. Dastidar.
Expressing his condolence to the family of the victims, Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja tweeted, “This heinous crime exposes the hollowness of the Prime Minister’s ‘Nari Shakti’ slogan. Even children are not safe in Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu-Raj. Shameful!”
“CPI(M) expresses shock and anger at the brutal rape and murder of two Dalit girls in Lakhimpur. We call for strict action against the perpetrators as per the law. This incident is yet another reflection of appalling law and order situation in the State,” the party tweeted.
