Uttar Pradesh govt trying to protect Hathras culprits, alleges Congress

Ongole: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr Sake Sailajanath alleged that the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh is trying to protect the culprits who raped and murdered the tribal woman in Hathras.

Speaking as a chief guest at a protest organised by the District Congress Committee in the name of 'Satyagraham' in front of the Collectorate here on Monday, Sailajanath also condemned the manhandling and arrest of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, who were on their way to console the family members of the victim.

Sailajanath alleged that it is due to the arrogance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, many atrocities on the women are happening, especially on Dalit people. He said that the BJP leaders are silent over the attacks on the women and are acting as if nothing has happened, but are trying to protect the real culprits from the prosecution. He said that the BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh were not able to console the family of the victim but were very much active to utilize police force to burn the dead body of the woman, even at the midnight in the absence of her parents and family members, just to erase the evidences.

The PCC chief warned that the dead bodies also will talk and the truth will be unearthed someday. He said that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi along with the Congress party will support the victim's family as they are always ready to fight for the SC, ST, BC, and minorities in the country. He said that it is due to the arrogance, the BJP government used force to obstruct, lathi charge and arrest Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and warned that the Congress party leaders will not fear the BJP for this. He said that when one similar incident was occurred when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister, he went to the victim to console and the then UPA government sent the victim to Singapore for better treatment and brought an Act to award capital punishment to the proved guilty.

The DCC president Eda Sudhakar Reddy, PCC vice-president Sripati Prakash, state Sevadal chairman Yallamanda Reddy, in-charges and cadre of the assembly constituencies, youth Congress and NSUI leaders and members also participated in the protest.