New Delhi: After BJP made a scathing attack on the Congress party over the rape and murder case of a minor girl of Bihar, in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, as an attempt of turning the table on the opposition party for its tirade against Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh Government over Hathras rape case, Congress slammed the ruling party for "politicizing" the whole issue in the wake of upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
Three Union Ministers including Nirmala Sitharaman, Prakash Javadekar and Dr Harsh Vardhan questioned the silence of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and even called their visit to Hathras as "selective outrage" against rape incidents.
Trashing the BJP senior leadership's criticism, Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev made reacted aggressively over the matter, saying, "You're not a public representative, you're just a slave of a particular ideology."
"I'm appalled, disgusted and disheartened, to see that these leaders spent a lot of time and energy today to raise an unfortunate death of a young girl in Hoshiyarpur while questioning the Congress leaders that why they've visited Hathras and not Hoshiyarpur," she added.
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Earlier today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a press conference that the silence of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, who went for a "picnic tour to Hathras" has "forced" BJP to question the Hoshiarpur incident.
To this, Sushmita Dev replied, "Nirmala Sitharaman ji, you've not only just proved your incompetence in your ministry but you're insensitive as a woman minister as well. There is a reason why many opposition leaders felt that it is their duty to go to Hathras, as Police refused to take FIR in case of Hathras, whereas in Punjab, not only an FIR has been filed with POCSO and IPC sections but within 36 hours, the accused were arrested. The CM and DGP are personally looking into this case."
In a comparison of Hathras Incident with Hoshiarpur incident, Congress claimed that the UP Government left the Hathras victim for 10 days in a hospital and for 11 days without any forensic report being called on. "You left out the forensic evidence because it suited you, you wanted to take the case that there is no rape. But Punjab Government has sent this case to fast track with strictest sections of POCSO, which have capital punishment," she alleged.
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Mentioning many other points, the Mahila Congress leader alleged that the Additional Director General of UP gives a clean chit to the accused, District Magistrate threatened the victim's family, media was banned from entering the village and even the local BJP leaders held rallies in support of the accused.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh has also ordered a swift inquiry into the ghastly incident and also called for immediate trial and punishment of the guilty.
Questioning the silence of FM in Hathras case and instead of raising the matter of Hoshiarpur, Sushmita Dev said, "I hope she stops displaying her total insensitiveness towards a sensitive issue like this. Don't politicize this. The nation understands that you've suddenly woken up from your deep sleep because Bihar is in election mode."
