JOIN USUnion Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday termed as “outrageous” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks on the Badaun gang-rape case and said the whole nation shared her anguish.
On Friday, when a journalist had asked Yadav about the law and order situation in the state against the backdrop of the Badaun case, he had shot back, saying, “I hope you have not faced any danger!.”
When the journalist replied in the negative, the chief minister said, “Thank you. You should propagate this.” On Yadav’s comment, Irani said, “The entire nation shares my outrage when on a very sensitive issue like crime against women... when a reporter was asking for reaction from the chief minister, one got such an outrageous remark. There is a constitutional mandate and a responsibility that people in public office have... that of protecting women and children and those who come from weaker sections of society,” she said.
Irani said Yadav had “let down” not only the people of UP, but all youngsters.”There was a presumption that the chief minister, who was touted as the youngest chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, would live up to that responsibility. It is unfortunate that he has let down not only the people of UP, but all those youngsters who felt that possibly he would redefine youth and governance one day,” Irani said.
Two teenage cousins aged 14 and 15 were gangraped and murdered in Badaun on May 28, while a fresh incident of gangrape was reported in Azamgarh constituency of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav a day later.