'Will we now have to protest to even register an FIR': Rahul Gandhi on Badlapur sexual abuse case

New Delhi: With another sexual crime coming to fore in Maharashtra's Badlapur, top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the incident "forces us to think where are we heading as a society", while lamenting that no action was taken till public came to streets demanding justice.

He said the government, citizens and parties would have to seriously brainstorm on what steps should be taken to provide a safe environment to women in the society.

The comments of Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, came as a massive protest broke out in Badlapur in Thane where two kindergarten girls were sexually abused by an attendant last week. The Maha Vikas Agadhi has called for a bandh in Maharashtra on Saturday in connection with the incident.

"After West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the shameful crimes against daughters in Maharashtra also force us to think where are we heading as a society? After the crime against two innocents in Badlapur, the first step to give them justice was not taken until the public came out on the streets demanding justice," he posted on 'X'.

Asking whether people have to protest to even register an FIR, he said, "why has it become so difficult for victims to even go to the police station? More efforts are made to hide crime than to provide justice, the biggest victims of which are women and people of weaker sections."

He said not filing an FIR not only discourages the victims but also encourages the criminals. Justice is the right of every citizen and they cannot be made dependent on the will of the police and administration, he added.