[<<The Prime Minister’s statement comes after the Opposition led by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, and various sections of media pointed to his silence and demanded that he make a statement.>> (Excerpted from the report reproduced below.)
Modi's condemnation of the two rapes comes in the wake of a bout of whataboutery (ref.: 'After days of silence, BJP reacts to Kathua, Unnao crimes: ‘Why no protests for other rape victims?’' at < https://scroll.in/latest/875536/after-days-of-silence-bjp-reacts-to-kathua-unnao-crimes-why-no-protests-for-other-rape-victims>) and more by the BJP spokesperson officially fielded to give out the party's standpoint. And, a BJP state president called the Kathua rape a Pak act (ref.: 'Pakistani hand in Kathua rape-murder case: MP BJP chief' at < https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pakistani-hand-in-kathua-rape-murder-case-mp-bjp-chief/articleshow/63738460.cms >). Earlier, apart from expressions of outrages from various other quarters including the media, the President of the principal opposition party went on a well-attended midnight protest candlelight march in the national capital (ref.: 'Rahul Gandhi Leads Midnight March Against 8-Year-Old's Rape: 10 Points' at < https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kathua-case-beti-bachao-good-slogan-but-implement-it-rahul-gandhis-midnight-swipe-at-pm-modi-1836901 >). One only hopes that public attention will not dim over the coming days. The conditions in which the Unnao rape victim has been kept would improve (ref.: 'Confined to hotel room without water: Unnao rape victim pleads for help' at < https://deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110418/confined-to-hotel-room-unnao-rape-victim-in-prison-like-conditions.html >). The accuseds, the MLA and his brother, in particular, won't be just let loose. Of course, the Allahabad High Court took upon itself to monitor the case and forced the CBI to arrest the accused MLA (ref.: < http://indianexpress.com/article/india/unnao-rape-case-allahabad-hc-directs-cbi-to-arrest-accused-bjp-mla-kuldeep-singh-sengar-5135947/ >). The investigations in Kathua rape case would proceed uninhindered. The victim's family and friends would stop being persecuted (ref.: 'Kathua rape-murder: Asifa’s family flees village' at < https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kathua-rape-case-asifas-family-flees-village/articleshow/63739153.cms >). Following Modi's condemnation of Kathua rape, two BJP ministers in the state cabinet who had publicly backed the rape accused and whoese resignations were demanded by the major coalition partner, PDP, have resigned (ref.: 'Kathua rape: Two BJP ministers, who rallied for accused, resign' at < http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/kathua-rape-two-bjp-ministers-who-supported-suspects-resign/573353.html >). One only hopes that's a welcome signal. For a perspective on the two cases, one may look up: I. 'Unnao Marks Yet Another Milestone in the Steady Decay of Law and Order in UP' by Kabir Agarwal and Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta at < https://thewire.in/politics/unnao-milestone-decay-law-order-up>. II. 'After Kathua, BJP Is Deploying Both Silence and Noise as Part of a Strategy' by Monobina Gupta at < https://thewire.in/politics/kathua-rape-bjp-narendra-modi-silence>.] https://www.thequint.com/news/india/what-pm-narendra-modi-said-about-kathua-and-unnao-rapes [Video] Here’s What PM Narendra Modi Said About the Kathua and Unnao Rapes UPDATED: 10H 55M AGO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 13 April broke his silence on the gruesome Kathua and Unnao rape cases, that have rocked the conscience of the nation. Speaking at the inauguration of the Ambedkar Memorial in New Delhi, the prime minister said that the “guilty” will not be spared. He asserted that “daughters will get justice”, and the government will ensure that happens. The incidents in the past two days are an embarrassment to the civilised society. We bow our head before the founding figures of the nation. No culprit will be spared, justice will be delivered. Those daughters will get due justice; all of us have to fix the problem together. The guilty will not go unpunished and the Government of India will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that happens. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Pressured into Making a Statement? The Prime Minister’s statement comes after the Opposition led by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, and various sections of media pointed to his silence and demanded that he make a statement. The Quint had published this copy in the morning before the Prime Minister broke his silence on the recent rape incidents. Just hours before Modi’s statement, the Gandhi scion hit out at the PM over his silence on violence against women and children, saying it was "unacceptable" and India was waiting for him to speak up. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday, 13 April, urged incumbent state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to take stringent action against the BJP ministers who are supporting the accused in the Kathua rape case. Protests Erupt Across the Country The Congress president led a midnight candle-light vigil on Thursday protesting against the two rape cases. A day later, on Friday, 13 April, citizens gathered in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan protesting the incidents of rape, and demanded that the prime minister take immediate action. In Bengaluru too, people took to the streets demanding that the the PM speaks up. What Happened in Kathua & Unnao? The chargesheet filed by the J&K police in the Kathua rape case that took place in January revealed that an eight-year-old Muslim girl was held captive in Hindu temple, sedated, raped repeatedly, bludgeoned to death and discarded in a forest by three men. Lawyers in Jammu and Hindu Ekta Manch members are rallying behind the accused, with two BJP MLAs seen waving the Tricolour as they marched in defence of the accused. Politicians and lawmakers tried to stop the police from filing a chargesheet in the case, trying to further communalise the issue. In Unnao, an 18-year-old girl along with her family, tried to immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s house on 8 April. The girl alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in 2017. Her father was taken into custody under the Arms Act on 5 April, after allegedly being beaten up by Sengar’s brother and his men. He died in police custody on 9 April. While in the Unnao case, the CBI has initiated a probe on Thursday, in the Kathua case, those defending the accused are demanding a CBI probe, alleging bias in the J&K Police’s investigation. (This story was first published at 10 am on 13 April 2018. It was updated at 7:55 PM on the same day with comments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi) Also Read: Unnao BJP MLA Calls Rape Charge a ‘Conspiracy of Low-Class People’ -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
