Political heat over rapes

On the lines of Uttar Pradesh, politics has brewed up in Rajasthan over the two brutal rapes and a murder in Jhalawar district, the home constituency of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her parliamentarian son Dushyant Singh.

The visit of Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot to Jhalawar on Tuesday and his meeting with victims and their family members has brought about fresh turmoil in state politics with the entire BJP falling in line to defend Raje.  

“Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are going to neighbouring states like UP to demonstrate over the rape incident and demanding resignation of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

But what is happening right under the nose of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in her constituency is invisible to them,” said Congress leader Sachin Pilot, PCC chief.

Raje also heads the Home Department and none of her ministers or leaders have came to Jhalawar to meet the victims, he added.  Pilot said he met the five-year-old rape victim in the Jhalawar hospital.

He said the victims  requested him to provide security cover for her family, while in the other rape-and-murder incident he was surprised to discover that police didn’t file an FIR even 24 hours after the girl went missing.

“We have a woman chief minister in the state who is completely insensitive to crime against women. There is completely lawlessness in the state,” said Pilot.

Pilot's remarks evoked strong response among the state BJP leaders.

“Today pilot is going to Jhalawar to meet the rape victims but did he visit and meet any victim in his constituency Ajmer? For five years he was a Union minister and over 275 rape cases were registered in Ajmer. Why didn’t he go to meet them,” said Rajendra Rathore, BJP leader and cabinet minister.

The legislators of the saffrron party recalled previous high-profile cases in which Congress ministers were booked on the charges of rape, asking why hadn't Pilot gone to meet the victims then.

Congress sources said the party is planning to launch a massive campaign against the increasing incidents of rape and atrocities against women in the state.

A meeting of Pradesh Mahila Congress was also called for this.

They said it will be the first major campaign against Raje and her government before the opening session of the new state Assembly.

Govt response

Rajasthan police removed an assistant sub-inspector and the duty officer from the local police station in Jhalwar.

The decision was taken following allegations by the victim's family that police refused to file the FIR after the girl, later found dead, went missing.

Meanwhile, Jhalawar MP and son of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also met the family members of the victim.

His meeting was scheduled after the PCC chief declared his intention to meet the rape victims and their family members.

 Dushyant said some people were trying to politicise the issue.