Hathras gang-rape: Congress demands immediate resignation of CM Adityanath

The opposition Congress Party has alleged that law and order had collapsed in Uttar Pradesh as the Yogi Adityanath government had 'failed to protect women' in the state. Also, the grand old party has demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister.

New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday, hit out at Uttar Pradesh Government, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Hathras Gang Rape case, alleging a complete failure of 'law and order' in the state.

The 19-year old victim, who died on Tuesday, was allegedly cremated by policemen last night, while her family and relatives were locked up in their homes.

However, Hathras district Magistrate Praveen Lakshkar denied the media reports and claimed the charges as 'propaganda' to defame UP police.

Meanwhile, the UP Government has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the matter.

Slamming Yogi-Adityanath led Government, All India Mahila Congress Chief, Sushmita Dev said, "There must be an inquiry. The subject matter of inquiry must go beyond the activities of the rapists, there should be an enquiry against the gross and criminal negligence of CM Ajay Bisht who is also the Home Minister of the state."

"The way she was cremated is a gross violation of human rights. For 8 days, no FIR was being registered and when there was an FIR, look at the sections imposed by this ruthless Government. No sections of rape," she further added, while addressing a press conference.

Clarifying the statement, Aligarh IG Piyush Mordia, on Tuesday, said that the Semen report has been sent to Aligarh Medical College.

"A sample was taken on September 26 to clarify whether the girl was raped or not. The report for the same would come by tomorrow (September 30)."

Congress leader Udit Raj, who was also present during the press conference, said, "Whenever BJP comes in power, there is an exploitation of Dalits. Even their education and employment gets affected. This Government is trying to suppress Dalits in the state. Such incidents will be repeated as their ideology is the same."

Congress also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers of BJP-led Central Government.

All India Mahila Congress Chief demanded a probe to find out the reason why it took 8 days to the UP Police to register a case, even when the state's home ministry comes under CM Yogi Adityanath himself.

She said, "Can the Prime Minister of India tells this country that from the very state you are elected as a member of Parliament, your CM is repeatedly failing and the women of UP are brutally murdered, killed, raped. But PM is just watching."

Taking down Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, the Congress leader demanded her resignation not just from her ministerial post but from her membership of Parliament.

"Today I'm ashamed to say that the WCD Minister is also from UP and she is silent. She is nothing but a 'drama queen'. She is a woman of no conviction, zero integrity and in the Indian history, the worst and shameless WCD minister this country has ever seen. Don't you tell us, we are politicizing it. The same PM used to tell before 2014 elections, 'Nirbhaya ko Yaad Rakhna', is dump and silent," she said.

Earlier today, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had raised this demand in her tweet, saying, "@myyogiadityanath RESIGN. Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in describing her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister."

• I was on the phone with the Hathras victim’s father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. 1/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I was on the phone with the Hathras victim’s father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. 1/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020

  ">

  I was on the phone with the Hathras victim’s father when he was informed that his daughter had passed away. I heard him cry out in despair. 1/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020

Congress has also asserted that the party will continue to protest until their demands are being met.

• @myogiadityanath RESIGN
  
  Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister. 3/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  @myogiadityanath RESIGN
  
  Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister. 3/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020

  ">

  @myogiadityanath RESIGN
  
  Instead of protecting the victim and her family, your government became complicit in depriving her of every single human right, even in death. You have no moral right to continue as Chief Minister. 3/3

  — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2020

"Justice can only prevail in this case when Yogi Adityanath ji will leave his position. And we will continue to fight for that," added Dev.