New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday said those making comparisons between the incidents in Hathras and Karauli were doing so for "vested political interests" as while justice was not done in Uttar Pradesh, prompt action was taken in Rajasthan.
In UP's Hathras, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men on September 14 and she succumbed to injuries at a Delhi hospital a fortnight later, while in Rajasthan's Karauli, a temple priest died Wednesday after being set afire allegedly by land-grabbers.
The BJP has attacked the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan over the incident.
Asked about the two incidents at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, "Let me be very clear that to compare as is being done by innuendo and insinuation by vested political interests, between Karauli and Hathras, is to make a mockery of justice."
"Every murder, and it is the highest crime in our penal book, is despicable, dastardly and must be condemned, be it Hathras and be it Karauli. But that is not the point. Did you have a midnight cremation in Karauli? The answer is No'. Did you have it in UP? The answer is Yes'.
"Did you prevent access to all political leaders and all journalists... for five days, 'dhakkam-dhakka' (shoving and pushing), abuse, but, no access, it did not happen in Rajasthan. But, it happened in UP," Singhvi said.
He urged everyone to make a distinction between the two incidents, asserting that justice was done in Rajasthan with prompt action.