LUCKNOW: The father of the Unnao rape victim demanded death for the accused on Saturday, as opposition parties attacked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh after the woman died in a Delhi hospital late on Friday night.
“I do not want money or any other kind of help. I want to see that the accused are chased and shot dead like the Hyderabad encounter or hanged to death,” the father of the victim said in her village Hindu Khera in Unnao district of UP.
“We know we were never a match in any sense to them. They exploited her. She was the most courageous person in our family. Now since she is no more, we will hardly get any justice. There is no hope now,” he added despondently.
The 23-year-old victim had been set ablaze on Thursday by five people, including two accused of raping her, while she was on her way to Rae Bareli to meet her advocate in connection with the rape case. She had suffered 90 per cent burns and was airlifted from Lucknow to Delhi.
After getting the news of her death, the uncle of victim feared for the life of other family members. “They will now target us also. They can harm us, burn us also. She was brave and was fighting the battle of her dignity. We don’t have that courage,” he said.
The woman’s body is being taken to her village in an ambulance. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh for the family of the rape victim. The family will also be given a house.
The Congress attacked the Yogi government, alleging that the law and order situation had “completely collapsed” in UP, which was becoming the country’s “rape capital”. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday met the family members of the rape victim and accused the state government of patronising criminals, which had led to recurrent crimes against women in the state.
“Today, there is no fear among criminals in Uttar Pradesh,” she told reporters, adding that “the government must take seriously why such circumstances exist in UP”. Samajwadi Party president and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav sat on a dharna outside the Vidhan Bhavan on Saturday, accusing the Yogi Adityanath government of failing the rape victim.
Terming the day a “Black Day”, he demanded that the BJP government in the state be removed. Yadav said his party will agitate against the government in all district headquarters. Another former CM, BSP chief Mayawati, urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the growing incidents of crime against women and direct the Centre to take prompt steps for effectively checking them.
Protesters heckle BJP ministers
Protests were held on Saturday as UP Ministers SP Maurya and KR Varun along with local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj reached the village of the Unnao gangrape victim. A number of protestors sustained injuries as police used force to disperse the crowd outside the victim’s residence.