Political agenda to provoke society: UP ministers slam LoP Rahul's Hathras, Sambhal visits

Lucknow, Dec 12 (IANS) Following Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi's visit to the family of the Hathras gang-rape victim and also to the kin of those who died in the Sambhal violence in Uttar Pradesh, the state's Cabinet ministers have accused him of pursuing a "political agenda to provoke society and mislead the public."

LoP Gandhi on Thursday met with the family of the Dalit girl who was gang-raped by four upper caste men in Hathras in 2020. The victim later succumbed to her injuries in a Delhi hospital.

Rahul Gandhi interacted with the family of the victim for about half an hour but left without speaking to the media.

LoP Gandhi's visit came a day after he and his sister, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, met the families of those who lost their lives in the November 24 Sambhal violence.

Speaking to IANS, Cabinet Minister Danish Azad Ansari slammed Rahul Gandhi's visit, alleging it was politically-motivated.

"Rahul Gandhi's visit to Hathras is akin to spreading poison -- a political agenda to provoke society and mislead the people. Our government is serious about the Hathras case. If Rahul Gandhi believes in democracy, why isn't he allowing the parliamentary session to proceed? The Congress party does not want the country and society to progress," Ansari alleged.

Regarding the Sambhal violence in which five people died, Ansari added, "Currently, the situation is peaceful, and all communities are maintaining harmony. The Opposition's rhetoric, aimed at boosting their political image, is inappropriate."

Cabinet Minister Anil Kumar questioned the timing of the Congress MP's Hathras visit, stating, "The incident happened years ago. Now, after the 2024 elections, he suddenly remembers Hathras. Those guilty have already been sent to jail."

Kumar, speaking to IANS, also commented on Rahul Gandhi's focus on the Sambhal incident.

"A Judicial Commission has been formed, and action will be taken based on its report. What is the need to politicise this matter?" he questioned.

UP's Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak echoed these sentiments, accusing LoP Gandhi of trying to "incite riots" and "push Uttar Pradesh into chaos."

"Rahul Gandhi Ji, you are misguided and filled with despair. The CBI has completed its investigation in the Hathras case, and the matter is progressing in court as per legal procedures," Pathak said.

"While he talks about progress, his actions -- be it visiting Hathras, Sambhal, or Aligarh -- seem directionless and derailed," he claimed.

The Hathras case, which garnered national attention, involved the gang-rape and murder of a Dalit girl on September 14, 2020. She succumbed to her injuries on September 29, 2020.

After a CBI investigation, the four accused were charged. On March 2, 2023, a Special Court under the SC/ST Act convicted one accused, Sandeep, sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 50,000, while acquitting the other three accused.

The victim's family, dissatisfied with the verdict, has appealed the decision in the High Court. They continue to demand government accommodation and jobs outside the village -- a request the UP government has yet to fulfil.

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