Rahul Gandhi Meets Hathras Rape Victim's Kin, Promises 'Will Ensure Justice Is Served'

Away from the glare of media, Gandhi patiently listened to the family members who expressed their anguish and struggles ever since the incident took place.

Hathras: Former Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met the family of the Hathras rape victim and heard their struggles post the gruesome incident in 2020. Keeping away from the media, Gandhi spent more than 30 minutes with the family and assured that justice will be delivered to them.

On September 14, 2020, the 19-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district, by four men. She succumbed two weeks later in a hospital in Delhi. After the incident, the victim's family had alleged that the police delayed registering the FIR and hurriedly conducted her last rites. However, police had clarified that the cremation was carried out “as per the wishes of the family.” The incident had sparked nationwide outrage.

According to Chandragupta Vikramaditya, Congress district president, Gandhi heard the family members patiently. "The family opened up about how they are under constant scrutiny as security personnel surround them ever since the incident took place. Their lives have been affected to such an extent that sending the other children to school and colleges has become difficult.

"They expressed their disappointment with the government and also alleged that neither the Modi Government nor Yogi administration has fulfilled the promises they made soon after the incident. They were promised a job for one family member and a house but none of the two has been fulfilled," Vikramaditya stated, adding that the family now awaits pinning hope that justice will be delivered to them soon and they can lead normal lives like others.

Sources said, the family had written to Gandhi earlier this seeking his intervention in getting justice to their daughter. The family is under 24X7 security as the case is investigated by the CBI, which had filed a charge sheet against all the four accused.

Later in X, Gandhi said, "Today, I visited Hathras and met the family of the victim of the shameful and unfortunate incident that occurred four years ago. During the meeting, the things they shared deeply shook me."

"The entire family continues to live under a cloud of fear. They are being treated like criminals. They cannot move freely – they are constantly under surveillance by guns and cameras. We will not remain silent, but ensure that justice is served to them," Gandhi wrote in Hindi.

On Gandhi's visit, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said Rahul Gandhi "is confused" and "not aware of the status of the case". Asked about the reasons for Gandhi's visit, Pathak said, "The CBI has already conducted an inquiry into this case and in BJP rule no culprit is allowed to get away scot-free." "Whether Sambhal or Hathras, he (Gandhi) keeps visiting them just to be in limelight and not for any other reason," the senior BJP leader added.

Even UP Minister for Minorities Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar slammed Rahul Gandhi for the visit saying, "If he was not aware of facts of the case, he should know that a CBI probe had long been done."

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