Hathras rape case: Congress slams BJP over acquittal of 3 accused, calls investigation 'weak and shoddy'

Congress on Sunday attacked the BJP over the acquittal of three persons in Hathras rape and murder case, saying the "weak and shoddy" investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police and CBI showed that the saffron party has committed crime of depriving a Dalit girl of justice.

The remarks came as a special court in UP's Hathras sentenced the main accused in the 2020 case to life imprisonment while three others were acquitted over want of evidence.

Congress leader Dolly Sharma told a press conference that the role of the BJP government has been exposed in its 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao ' slogan.

"The crime of depriving the girl of the Dalit community of justice has been committed by the BJP, which keeps on giving the slogan of supporting everyone," she said adding, the "weak and shoddy" investigation led to the acquittal of three accused.

The "most unfortunate thing" is that the victim was brutally gang-raped and murdered but the police and prosecution could not even prove that she was sexually assaulted, she said.

Sharma said the Congress, its leader Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi continuously raised the demand for justice for the victim's family.

Also Read | Main accused in Hathras rape-murder case gets life imprisonment, 3 others acquitted

"It is noteworthy that in spite of all these barbaric incidents that took place in the last nine years, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi did not say a word. What does this silence represent?" she said.

Sharma also claimed that there were other cases in which BJP leaders were allegedly involved and cited cases such as Unnao rape case in 2017, Ankita Bhandari case in Uttarakhand and the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.

Separately, All India Democratic Women's Association alleged that the judgement "reeks of patriarchal and casteist bias" and acquitted all the four upper caste men of gangrape and murder, and does not give any credence to even the dying declaration of the victim, and the brutal assault obviously suffered by her. The main accused Sandeep was convicted only of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

AIDWA demanded that the CBI should immediately appeal against the verdict so that the injustice meted out to the victim and her family can be undone.