Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today visited the family of the Unnao rape victim.
"The victim's whole family has been constantly harassed since last year. I have heard that the culprits have some BJP connection. That is why they were being shielded. There is no fear among criminals in the state," Priyanka said.
"Chief Minister is saying there is no place for criminals in the state but what he has turned the state into, I think there is no place for women here," she added.
Speaking to ANI, the victim's sister-in-law said, "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that she will fight for justice along with us. Our only demand is that the culprits should be given death penalty, only then her soul will rest in peace."
Hours after the death of the 23-year-old gang rape victim at a Delhi hospital, the Congress leader alleged that the "hollow law and order mechanism in UP" denied justice to survivors of sexual violations.
She said the UP government did not provide security to the Unnao gang rape victim even though a similar incident had earlier taken place in the same district.
She was referring to another alleged attack in Unnao district in July when the car in which a woman, who had accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar of raping her, was was hit by a truck.
In a tweet, Priyanka Gandhi said: "Why the victim of Unnao gangrape case was not given security keeping in mind an earlier incident of Unnao? What action has been taken on the police official who refused to register an FIR? What steps are being taken by the government to stop crime against the women, which take place on a daily basis?"
In another tweet she said: "I pray to God to give courage to the family members of Unnao victim", and went on to say that it was due to everyone's collective failure as a society that the victim was not able to get justice.
"At the social level, we all are guilty, but at the same time, this also points out to the hollow law and order mechanism in UP," she tweeted.
The Congress leader, who was on a visit to the state capital Lucknow had then rushed to Unnao to meet the family of the victim and extend condolences to them.
A number of senior UP Congress leaders were present with her during the meeting at the home of the victim's family. A huge crowd of villagers had gathered outside the house.
In related news, Samajwadi Party leader and Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is at present sitting on a 'dharna' outside Vidhan Sabha in protest against Unnao rape case.
Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "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 shokh sabha in all districts of the state over Unnao rape case."
(With inputs from agencies
