The rape of a dalit girl, allegedly by the BSP MLA from Banda, is snowballing into a major political controversy with all major political parties using the issue to embarrass the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party.
The UP Congress, on Friday, demanded the immediate arrest of BSP MLA Purshottam Dwiwedi and the suspension of the superintendent of police of Banda.
The party also sought a high-level judicial probe into the incident by a sitting high court judge.
Talking to reporters here on Friday, UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, “A minor girl was raped by BSP MLA Purshottam Dwivedi and his associates in Banda and she was later accused of stealing the legislator’s licensed firearm and `5,000 and sent to jail. After she had spent 10 days in the jail, the girl’s father approached the media and finally the incident came to light.”
Ms Joshi said that the complaint given to the police by the victim’s father was lying unattended and an FIR had not yet been registered. “It is amply clear that the police is trying to shield the legislator. Two days ago, the SP interrogated the victim inside the jail for six-and-a-half-hour which is a violation of the jail manual.
The state Congress president, who went to Banda on Thursday, was not allowed to meet the victim in the jail. “The officials said that since I was neither her relative nor her friend or well-wisher, I could not meet her,” she said.
Ms Joshi demanded that a medical board should be set up to examine the girl who was allegedly kept in captivity by the MA for a month and raped repeatedly by him and his goons.
The UP Congress president also announced a series of protests from tomorrow in Banda by Youth Congress, NSUI, Mahila Congress and district Congress members. “This time we will fight until delivered is given to the victim,” she stated. Meanwhile, state BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi visited Banda on Friday to gather information about the incident. Mr Shahi demanded immediate action against the girl and said that the incident was reflective of the prevailing law and order situation. It is noteworthy the Gulabi Gang, a well-known women’s activist group of Bundelkhand, has already declared that it will fight for the rights of the victim and ensure that justice is done in the case.