Rape horror: Congress to hold candlelight marches in all state capitals

New Delhi: The Congress will hold candlelight marches on Friday in all the state capitals to protest against the increased cases of sexual assault against women.

On the instructions of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, all the party members will hold candlelight march at different parts of the country to protest against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases.

Congress General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has briefed all the state unit chiefs and has asked them to raise the issue of atrocities against women during the marches.

On Friday midnight, Rahul and other party leaders held a candlelight vigil at the India Gate in the national capital to demand strict action in Unnao and Kathua rape cases.

With the ongoing Unnao and Kathua rape cases, the Indian social media has been abuzz with the words - "rape horror".

Earlier on April 8, a woman and her family tried to commit suicide outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

Her family alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his accomplice last year, and no action was taken against the accused.

On the other hand, an eight-year-old girl belonging to a nomadic Muslim tribe in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir was allegedly abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed in January.

Among the accused in the case are police officers and a retired government official.