Congress playing dirty politics over rape issue: BJP

New Delhi :  Stressing that a fair probe was being conducted into the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua, the BJP on Friday alleged that the Congress was playing “dirty politics”.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP MP and Spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told the media: “In Kathua rape case, a fair probe is going on and strictest action has been demanded against the culprits.”

“A SIT (Special Investigation Team) was formed and six-seven persons were arrested. Also, I would like to say it on record that the Jammu Bar Association president (B.S.) Slathiaji was the polling agent of Ghulam Nabi Azadji,” Lekhi said.

The BJP MP from New Delhi also said, “On one hand Salathiaji is demanding for justice, while on the other hand, he has called to shut down the High Court.”

“Now you all can imagine what kind of dirty politics is being played in the country,” she said.

She also said that women and children have no religion and no politics should be done over such issues.

Lekhi claimed that the woman counsel appearing for the Kathua rape victim was being pressurised not to appear in the case.

“This pressure is being built by those who are heading the Bar Council and Bar Associations,” she claimed.

“This proves what kind of dirty politics is being played in Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.

Speaking on the rape incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao, Lekhi said, “This is a 10-month-old case. The rape victim went missing from her home on June 11, 2017. After which her family filed a missing complaint with police alleging some Shubham and Awadhesh behind the act.”

“When the girl came back on June 21, police recorded her statement in front of the magistrate, where she did not take the name of the BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

“But a new twist came in June end and July last year, when the rape victim wrote to the Chief Minister and Prime Minister alleging she was raped by the MLA,” she said.

“Then on October 30, 2017, the MLA’s supporters filed a defamation case against the family of the rape victim in court and from there the fight between the two parties started. On February 22, a petition was filed in the court, where the rape victim’s family stated that Shubham’s mother took the girl to the MLA’s house promising a job,” she said.

“On April 3, her father was beaten by the MLA’s supporters, on which he was booked by the police under the Arms Act. And when the jail authorities sent him for a medical check-up, the CMO gave a wrong report that he was fit to be kept in jail,” she said.

“The state government has taken action against the erring doctors as they have been suspended. The government also suspended the Dy SP Unnao immediately.

“The matter was referred to the CBI by the state government and the CBI has detained Sengar for questioning,” she said.

She also said that the UP Police had earlier arrested the brother of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Atul Singh.

IANS