NEW DELHI: Asserting that “justice delayed is justice denied,” Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh for failing to fulfil the promises made to the family of the Hathras gang-rape victim.
Gandhi shared a video of his recent meeting with the victim’s family in Hathras.
“Justice delayed is justice denied! But something else is happening in Hathras where the accused are roaming free and the victim's family is held hostage,” the former Congress chief said in his YouTube post alongside the video.
On 14 September 2020, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was brutally gang-raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. Two weeks later, on 28 September 2020, she passed away in a hospital in New Delhi.
“At 2.30 am the same night, without the consent of the woman’s family, the Uttar Pradesh police forcefully cremated her body. After a long phase of destroying evidence and misleading the judiciary, today, four years later, the accused are roaming free in the same village and the victim’s family is held hostage, still waiting for justice,” Gandhi alleged.
He added that the promises made to the victim’s family by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh have not been fulfilled.
“Neither have they been given a government job nor has the promise of shifting them to another place been fulfilled,” Gandhi said.
“In this labyrinth of casteism and power, it has become impossible for Dalits to even hope for justice,” he added.
Gandhi reiterated that the INDIA bloc, which respects the Constitution, is committed to protecting the Bahujans from “these oppressors who follow the path of Manusmriti.”
“We will get all the promises fulfilled, we will get them justice,” he said.
Taking to X, Gandhi wrote, “Listen carefully and feel every word filled with despair of the family of Hathras rape victim. They are still in fear. Their situation confirms that it has become extremely difficult for Dalits to get justice.”
“We are with this family - we will relocate their house and provide all necessary assistance,” he said.
He also shared the video on Facebook, stating: “The family of Hathras victim was promised by UP's BJP government that a government job - which was not given. Fast track court - justice still pending. And safe relocation - house arrest. We will get justice for the victim's family - we, INDIA bloc, who believe in the Constitution, will make arrangements for their freedom and relocation.”
The video features Gandhi listening to the victim’s family, who claim they have been denied justice and are not allowed to leave their house. They alleged that they had neither received a job nor any relocation assistance.
On 12 December, Gandhi met with the family of the Dalit woman in Hathras, who passed away following her alleged gang-rape in September 2020. Gandhi alleged that the family is being treated like “criminals.”
The family reportedly reached out to Gandhi earlier this year, seeking his support in obtaining “justice,” according to the Congress, which shared a letter addressed to the Leader of Opposition by the woman’s father.
During his visit, Gandhi spent approximately 35 minutes with the family at their home and departed without speaking to a group of waiting reporters.
Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra previously met the Hathras family on 3 October 2020, declaring their commitment to fighting for justice for the deceased.
The victim was allegedly gang-raped on 14 September 2020. She was moved to Aligarh for treatment and later to New Delhi, where she died on 29 September 2020. She was cremated in the early hours of 30 September, with her family alleging that the local police forced them to conduct the last rites at night.
Local police officers, however, had told PTI that the cremation was carried out “as per the wishes of the family.”
Following an initial police probe, the CBI took over the investigation into the case and filed a charge sheet against all four accused.
