BJP and SP Play Blame Game Over Bulandshahr Gangrape

“What are BJP and other people telling the victims you should also look into it”, Akhilesh Yadav said.

An anti-rape protest. Photo used for representational purpose. (Photo: The Quint)

The ongoing fracas between political parties before the upcoming Uttar Pradesh State Assembly Election 2017 has not even spared the two rape survivors in the horrific Bulandshahr gangrape case.

On July 30, a 38-year-old mother and her teenaged daughter were gangraped in Bulandshahr by a band of around eight bandits, while the male members of their family were tied up.

Instead of exhausting all possible forces to nab all the rapists, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav has now and then been directing his attention to accusing the opposition parties of conspiring against the Samajwadi Party.

The incident is unfortunate. Action will be taken against those responsible. But the question is what are BJP and other (opposition) parties tutoring the victims and showing the way of politics. What are the BJP and other people telling the victims inside the room, you (media persons) should also look into it...what are they telling the victims...if they want CBI probe I am willing for it...I am ready to help them out.

Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh

Akhilesh’s comments were backed by his party’s spokesperson Azam Khan, who had earlier spoken along similar lines, alleging that the Bulandshahr rape case was a political conspiracy of the opposition parties.

The BJP in turn has only forwarded the slugfest by criticizing Akhilesh’s comments.

People expected Akhilesh Yadav to speak against Khan’s remarks and take action against him. Instead, he politicised such an inhuman and horrific crime. He is practising a very low level politics by making such insensitive remarks. He has not only insulted the victims and rubbed salt into their wounds but also insulted women in the state.

Shrikant Sharma, BJP National Secretary

Also Read: Bulandshahr Rape: Media Makes Survivors Wish They Didn’t Return

A BJP delegation led by state unit president, Keshav Prasad Maurya has already met the victims in Ghaziabad, while a Congress team headed by its chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit met them on Thursday.

While the political parties make a beeline to the rape survivors’ residence in Noida, the family wishes they hadn’t returned at all.

If the presence of media persons waiting to capture the best of the footage and interview wasn’t bad enough, the politicians’ visits breach the privacy of the family and the intention to keep the identities of the family members hidden.

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, the family said, “it was impossible for them to stay at their house after the incident as everybody now knows what happened to them.”

The moment media and politicians land at their residence, the purpose is defeated. Everyone knows who was raped and all locals talk about it. Legally, if the family wants, they can move court against such politicians and media but they are not aware of their rights.

Advocate Shilpi Jain told <i>Hindustan Times</i>