NCW summons BJP leader for offensive remarks against Hathras victim

The National Commission for Women issued a notice to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ranjeet Srivastava, who maligned the character of the Hathras victim by saying that she had an affair with the accused. The women's panel asked the BJP leader to appear before it on October 26.

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday summoned BJP leader Ranjeet Srivastava for reportedly making offensive remarks against a 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after allegedly being raped by four men in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras.

Taking to twitter, the women commission informed that it strongly condemns the offensive and defamatory remarks made by political leader Rajneet Srivastava regarding the Hathras victim.

The commission has sent him a notice directing him to appear before NCW on October 26 at 11 AM to give an explanation, the commission tweeted.

According to reports, the BJP leader was heard on Tuesday night claiming that the four accused, who belong to the upper caste, are 'innocent' and it is the victim who was 'Awara".

He claimed that the victim was having an affair with the accused and had called him to the millet field on September 14.

In fact, Srivastava was heard saying. “The victim must have called the boy to the filed because they were having an affair. This news is already out on social media and news channels. She must have got caught after that”.

“Such girls are found dead at only a few places. They will be found dead in sugarcane, corn and millet fields or in bushes, gutters or forests. Why are they never found dead in paddy or wheat fields?” he asked.

He went on to defend the four accused saying that they should be released from prison till the CBI files a charge sheet in the case.

Taking note of such shocking statements, NCW chief Rekha Sharma said, “He is not fit to be called the leader of any party. He is showing his primitive and sick mindset and I am going to send a notice to him.

On Tuesday the commission issued notices to BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, actress Swara Bhaskar and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for allegedly revealing the identity of Hathras victim on Twitter.

The Hathras incident has led to nation-wide protests with people from a different sector of the society demanding justice for the victim.