Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party on 11th May 2019, for hushing up the gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Earlier, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati had slammed Congress for the delay in police action against the gang-rape accused. Modi alleged that instead of nabbing the culprits, the Rajasthan government was trying to smother the action against them.
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Addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur, Modi accused the state government and police machinery in Rajasthan of suppressing the gang-rape incident. He said the Congress government in the state was apprehensive of losing their vote-share due to this incident. Taking a jibe at the candlelight ‘activists’, Modi questioned the conspicuous silence of activists who otherwise display great alacrity in carrying out marches. “I would like to know where’s the award-wapsi gang now, I would like to ask them, why is the gang silent now?” he asked.
Earlier, BSP supremo Mayawati had urged the Supreme Court to act against the Rajasthan government and police for delaying action against the rape offenders. Mayawati had also appealed that capital punishment must be granted to these to culprits.
The video clip of the Dalit woman who was gang-raped in Alwar on April 26, 2019, was circulated by her attackers, triggering massive outrage and protests across the state. The police, which was informed of the rape on April 30 delayed filing the FIR until May 7, 2019, her husband alleged. It is pertinent to mention that elections in the state were held on May 6, 2019.
This case has attracted the attention of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which has demanded that criminal case be filed against the police officers who allegedly delayed acting on the woman’s complaint.