The Congress on Saturday hit out at the government of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the death of the Unnao rape victim due to severe burns and stab wounds on Friday night, alleging that law and order had “completely collapsed” and the State was becoming the “rape capital”.
Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also demanded strict action against the accused. The victim was airlifted to a Delhi hospital after she was set ablaze allegedly by five persons, including the accused.
Ms. Shrinate said it was not the first time and would certainly not be the last when the Uttar Pradesh government had failed to wake up. “The Uttar Pradesh government seems to be in a dying hurry to become the rape capital.”
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to condole the “heart-wrenching” death. “The saddening and heart-wrenching death of the innocent daughter of Unnao that has shamed humanity has left me angered and stunned. Another daughter has lost her life while awaiting justice and security,” he said. “In this hour of grief, I express my condolences to the victim’s family,” he tweeted in Hindi with the hashtag ‘Beti Ko Nyay Do’.
No FIR in four months
“More than assurance, the Uttar Pradesh government needs to strengthen law and order. Our straight question to the police is why an FIR was not registered in four months and why the accused were let out on bail,” Ms. Shrinate told reporters.
She was responding to the statement of Mr. Adityanath who gave the assurance that the case would be pleaded in a fast-track court to provide speedy justice to the victim’s family. The Congress alleged that the government was providing political protection to the accused.
