LUCKNOW: Regional and national leaders from Uttar Pradesh came out in force at Unnao and Lucknow on Saturday as politics played out in a big way in the aftermath of the death of the rape victim.
While the Congress held day-long agitation in Lucknow, party general secretary and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was the first one to reach put to the victim’s family at Unnao. She was closely followed by Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj along with Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Rani Varun, who also met the bereaved family.
In Lucknow, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sat on a dharna in front of Lok Bhawan — the Chief Minister’s Office — in protest. BSP chief Mayawati met Governor Ananadiben Patel seeking directives to the Yogi Adityanath government for ensuring safety and security of women.
After meeting the family of the victim, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, flanked by Maurya, claimed that the state government was standing firmly beside the bereaved family. “We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring strictest punishment to those who set the victim ablaze. It is an unfortunate incident. I have been vocal about it in Parliament also. Perpetrators will not be let off at any cost. We will do everything to ensure justice to the family as Unnao’s name has been maligned across the nation,” Maharaj said, adding that anyone trying to protect the culprits would be dealt with an iron fist.
Earlier, Priyanka claimed that the accused family was connected to the BJP and was being given patronage. After meeting the family, she said that the accused had physically assaulted the victim’s father and had been threatening her uncle and a 10-year-old girl in the family for over a year.
Calling it a “Black Day”, Akhilesh slammed the government over deteriorating law and order situation. “The incident has pained us all deeply... This is not the first such case under the rule of this government. Women are unsafe till the CM, the Home Secretary and the DGP are sitting on their posts,” he said.