Jungle Raj in UP has no limits: Congress on Balrampur rape case

Lucknow: The "jungle raj" that has spread in Uttar Pradesh has no limits and the time for accountability is now, the Congress said on Thursday as a Dalit woman in the state's Balrampur district died after being allegedly raped by two men.

Several Congress leaders, including former president Rahul Gandhi, reacted to the two incidents.

Alleging that "atrocities" on women and the government's brazenness is continuing, Rahul Gandhi said, "Did not give respect when alive and also snatched the dignity in death." His tweet in Hindi referenced the Hathras gangrape victim's family being allegedly denied the right to properly perform her last rites. "BJP's slogan is not 'save girl child', it is 'hide facts, save power'," he added, using the hashtag 'Balrampurhorror'. Gandhi was referring to the Centre's scheme 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary in-charge of UP, said a gruesome incident like Hathras has taken place in Balrampur too.

"The jungle raj spread in UP has no limits. Law and order is not run by marketing and speeches. This is time for accountability of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. The public wants accountability," Priyanka Gandhi added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that Hathras-like incidents will not be tolerated in the state and those indulging in crime against women would be dealt with severely. His statement comes amid a nationwide outrage over the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Tuesday, days after she was raped by four men on September 14.

Raising questions on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday demanded that the leadership should be changed or president's rule be imposed in the state.

Delhi BJP MP Hans Raj Hans demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government led by his party leader Yogi Adityanath take "strict action" against officials responsible for the hasty cremation of the Hathras gangrape victim.