Bhopal: The women members of the Congress lay siege to the PWD minister Rampal Singh’s bungalow on Monday protesting over the delay in lodging an FIR in Priti Raguvanshi suicide case. In last few days, the minister has faced many protests being held in front of his residence, however, on Monday the Congress women activists lead by AICC secretary and state in-charge Onika Mehrotra rushed inside the his bungalow seeking an audience with him.
The women activists went inside visitors’ room asking for minister, however he never showed up. Earlier, accusing the minister of influencing the police and administration in the case, the congress women workers raised slogans and burnt his effigy of the minister outside his residence.
State president Mandvi Chouhan presided over a meeting of 51 district unit presidents and others. The Congress workers raised the issue of increasing rate of crime against women in the state. Taking up the issue of Priti, daughter-in-law of the minister, the Congress workers condemned government for not removing minister from the cabinet.
They demanded registration of FIR against the minister or his son. Priti had committed suicide on March 16, allegedly upset over engagement of her husband to another girl. The minister’s family had refused to accept her as their daughter-in-law. After the meeting, the women activists took to streets and marched to minister’s bungalow. They after burning an effigy of the minister entered into the bungalow and raised slogans.
The Congress workers wanted to meet the minister, however, he never came out. Onika Mehrotra alleged that crime against women has seen rise in last 14 years but the BJP government failed to ensure any safety and justice to women and girls in the state. District president Santosh Kasana alleged that the minister raising obstacles and not allowing police to perform their duties. “More than 16 days have passed, but the police have not yet taken the statements of the minister and his family in Priti suicide case. Even the police have not yet filed any FIR in the case,” said Kasana.
