BJP-led Chhattisgarh government is "harassing" tribal people and CPI cadres in the name of fighting left-wing extremism in the state, party's national secretary D Raja alleged today.
"Tribal people and cadres of my entire party are being harassed in BJP-ruled Chattisgarh in the name of fighting left wing extremism," said Raja.
The CPI leader said this after after joining a protest organised by various women rights organisations outside Chhattisgarh Bhawan here demanding action against security personnel for allegedly raping a minor girl at a village in Sukma district recently.
"I will be meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard to push the government to book the people involved in the crime and also to ensure relief and rehabilitation for the victim," Raja said.
A JNU student, who took part in the protest, alleged that the state machineries are involved in the crime.
"This is not the first time such incidents are happening, it is a trend where state machineries are involved in such crimes. Such incidents raises doubt if we live in a democracy," said Aparichitha, a research student.
Members of National Federation of Indian Women, Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Andolan (RDMA) and representatives of domestic workers associations took part in the protest and submitted a memorandum to the resident commissioner.
Taking congnisance of news reports and complaints by victim's mother, NHRC had yesterday issued notices to Union Home ministry and the Chhattisgarh police chief to respond within four weeks on this.
In a statement, the rights body said, on April 2 some "unidentified CRPF/Police personnel" entered a house at Chintagufa village of Sukma district looking out for a man, purportedly a Maoist sympathiser, and raped his 15-year-old sister.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)