BJP spotlights Rajasthan rape amid Priyanka's women pitch in Uttar Pradesh

With Priyanka Gandhi spotlighting her 'ladki hun lad sakti hoon' pitch in Uttar Pradesh and giving tickets to 40 per cent women candidates, including the mother of a rape victim, the BJP on Friday went a in campaign mode targeting her about a rape case in Congress-ruled Rajasthan.

Launching a direct attack on Priyanka, who was on a personal visit Rajasthan days back, BJP leaders said while she "comes for Jungle Safari to Rajasthan but says nothing about "Jungle Raj" in the party-ruled state.

The BJP's all-out attack on Priyanka came a day after she released the first list of 125 candidates of Congress for UP that included 50 candidates including Asha Devi, the mother of Unnao gang rape victim, in which a senior BJP leader was convicted. The list had also included Sadaf Zafar, who was in the forefront of anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. Priyanka projected it as a move towards "new politics" and a "historical initiative" while Rahul Gandhi called it the start of a "big change". The former Congress President said "the list also incorporates those people who have been meted out injustice by the BJP."

Read | Deaf, mute minor gang-raped, left on road in Alwar

Tearing into the Congress over its leaders' claims, BJP fielded its national spokesperson Sambit Patra in the national capital to raise the issue of the brutal rape of a 15-year-old mentally challenged girl in Congress-ruled Rajasthan. Patra drew parallels between the incident with the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case in Delhi during the UPA regime.

"Priyanka Gandhi goes to UP and says 'ladkh hun lad sakti hoon' but in Rajasthan where there is a Congress government, her tone changes to "ladki ho to ladna mana hai or chup rahna hi padega". Priyanka can go to Unnao but cannot go to Rajasthan. Did Priyanka go to meet the Nirbhaya of Rajasthan? Poeple are watching this selective politics of Congress," Patra said.

The BJP leader alleged that Priyanka Vadra was celebrating her birthday at Ranthambhore in Rajasthan and declined to meet a BJP delegation.

The issue had kicked up a big row and evoked strong outrage. While the Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission has asked for a report by January 18, the state BJP formed a committee to seek justice for the victim. Leaders of both parties have met the victim's family members. A delegation of BJP leaders also went to Ranthambore to meet Priyanka. BJP also strongly objected to a statement of Women and Child development minister of Rajasthan Mamata Bhupesh regarding the difficulty in identifying the accused in such cases and calling for the society to come forward to fight the menace.

"Such a statement shows the state government is trying to evade responsibility," Patra said. "Priyanka Gandhi should tell if she sought a report from Rajasthan Chief Minister regarding the incident. Did she go to the house of the victim. She should tell why the crimes against women are rising in Rajasthan," Patra asked.

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