The Congress on January 1 questioned the silence of top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over the arrest of three office-bearers of the BJP’s IT cell, who have been accused of raping a Banaras Hindu University (BHU) student on the campus last November.
Addressing a press conference here along with party leader Dolly Sharma, All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Netta D’Souza said all the three accused — Kunal Pandey, Abhishek Chauhan and Sakhsham Patel — were active office-bearers of the BJP’s IT cell.
Ms. D’Souza asked why Mr. Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani were silent after their photographs with the rape accused surfaced in public domain.
Showing those photographs, Ms. D’Souza said it proved how influential the rape accused were and said no wonder it took the police two months to arrest them. She also asked how could the accused live in Madhya Pradesh and work on the BJP’s election campaign.
“Will the Prime Minister break his silence since this is a matter of his constituency, Banaras. Will Smriti Irani make the time to visit the family of the victim?” asked Ms. D’Souza.
She alleged that “there have been many incidents in the past where BJP leaders have been involved in heinous crimes against women but most of them have got protection”.
Ms. Sharma added, “Prime Minister ji, as the MP from Banaras, we will ask you questions. Who protected the rapists for two months? How did they reach Madhya Pradesh? Why has [Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister] Yogi Adityanath not sent bulldozers to the homes of these rapists?”
“Like Bilkis Bano rapists were freed and garlanded, will these boys be garlanded as well? Don’t the women leaders of BJP feel the pain?” she asked.
