Rahul Gandhi asks if PM Modi will also fast over custodial killing of Unnao rape victim's father

NEW DELHI: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed daylong fast against complete washout of Parliaments Budget session, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that one hoped that he would also fast over the latest custodial killing in Uttar Pradesh.

"The barbarism unleashed against a father seeking justice for his (rape survivor) daughter in Uttar Pradesh has shamed the humanity. We hope that the Prime Minister will also observe a fast very soon over atrocities against women, increasing lawlessness and anarchy under the BJP rule," Gandhi said on Twitter.

Modi has said that he would on Thursday join other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs in observing a daylong fast against the complete washout of the Budget session, for which the BJP has blamed the Congress.

On Monday, the father of the girl who tried to set herself on fire outside the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's residence a day earlier alleging police inaction in her gang rape by a BJP MLA died in police custody. 

The man, whose daughter accused BJP legislator from Unnao Kuldeep Singh Sengar of raping her, was picked up by police late on Sunday and was apparently beaten mercilessly by four aides of the legislator as well as police personnel.

On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the girl's accusations as well as the death of her father in police custody.