Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said every woman in the country needs to raise her voice and put moral pressure to ensure justice for the “daughter of Hathras”, referring to the victim of the gang rape who died on Wednesday .
Ms. Vadra was speaking at a prayer meeting organised by the Valmiki community in memory of the rape victim at the Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir in central Delhi that once hosted Mahatma Gandhi for 214 days, between April 1946 and June 1947.
Also read: Hathras gang rape | Autopsy shows strangulation, fracture
She asserted that her party will continue to put political pressure on the government until justice is delivered to the victim’s family.
“Whatever has happened to the woman, her family faced it alone as they did not get any support from the government. Her family felt like they were alone. I came here to express solidarity so that you don't feel you are alone. What has happened with you all we will fight against it. I urge you all to raise your voice and we will put political pressure on the government,” Ms. Vadra said.
Also read: Hathras gang rape | Victim cremated without consent, says family
Criticizing the U.P. government and the police for cremating the victim at night without the family’s consent, she said, “Our country does not have a tradition where the father, brother and the family of the victim are not allowed to light the pyre.”
Earlier in the day, she welcomed the Allahabad High Court taking suo moto cognizance of the police action to cremate the body without the family’s consent.
Also read: Rahul, Priyanka detained while proceeding to Hathras
In a separate set of tweets, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also attacked the U.P. administration by tweeting a video clip showing a young boy from the victim’s family alleging misbehaviour by senior officials and that the family was being prevented from interacting with anyone.
“The U.P. administration is resorting to cruelty to hide the truth. Neither we nor the media is allowed to meet the victim’s family. They are not allowed to come out but the family members are beaten up and brutalized. No Indian can support such behavior,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted.
Newly appointed Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress (DPMC) president Amrita Dhawan meanwhile alleged that her clothes were torn during a scuffle with the U.P. on Thursday. Ms. Dhawan said the incident occurred when she intervened as the police tried to detain Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra en route to Hathras.
