You are a woman, you should understand: Mayawati tells Governor Anandiben Patel after Unnao victim’s death

india

Updated: Dec 07, 2019 22:06 IST

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday urged Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel to use her constitutional powers to tackle rising crime against women in the state.

Mayawati also pulled up chief minister Yogi Adityanath, saying women are not safe especially under the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Mayawati’s comments came after the 24-year-old Unnao rape victim died on Friday night after she was set on fire by five men, which included her alleged rapist. She was airlifted to the Capital and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital after she suffered 90% burns in Thursday’s attack.

“Being a woman, I am very worried. And being the constitutional chief of the state, as well as a woman, I request you to take cognisance of the people’s worries to alert the government,” Mayawati said in a letter to the governor.

“You must intervene and do whatever it is necessary under your constitutional duties to control crime and contain the law and order situation as soon as possible. Today UP needs it desperately,” the former chief minister wrote.

Before she met Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhavan over the issue, she addressed a press conference to attack the BJP government in the state.

“Since the last few years, and especially under the current BJP government, women are not safe in the state. In UP, not a single day goes by without a case of crime against women,” Mayawati said while speaking to reporters.

And a day before the BSP leader had said the police in Uttar Pradesh should take exemplary action against criminals, like their Hyderabad counterparts, to control crime. She was referring to the encounter killing of the four men, accused of raping and killing veterinary doctor in Telangana by the police early on Friday.

On his part, Adityanath said the case will be fast-tracked and guilty will be given strictest of punishment.

Other opposition parties in the state have also blamed the chief minister for the death of the Unnao rape victim.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav staged a sit-in protest outside the state assembly on Saturday demanding the resignation of Adityanath.

“Till the day Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, state Home Secretary and DGP don’t resign, justice will not be done. Tomorrow we will conduct a shok sabha in all districts of the state over the Unnao rape case,” he said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rushed to Unnao to meet the family of the victim.

She also questioned the lack of security measures to keep the victim safe.

“Keeping in view the past incident why the victim was not given security? What action was taken against the officer who did not lodge her FIR? Atrocity on women is an everyday affair in Uttar Pradesh. What action is the government taking?” she asked on Twitter.

The brother of Unnao rape victim said the accused “deserve death and nothing else” and her father also called for exemplary punishment to the men accused of setting his daughter on fire.