Rahul Gandhi candlelight march at India Gate LIVE: Earlier in the day, the Congress supremo condemned the gangrape and brutal murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu, and called it a ‘crime against humanity’. (File)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will hold a candlelight vigil at India Gate in the national capital on Thursday midnight to protest against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. Taking to Twitter, he said, “Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does. Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice.”
Earlier in the day, the Congress chief condemned the gangrape and brutal murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu, and called it a ‘crime against humanity’. “How can anyone protect the culprits of such evil? What happened to the girl at Kathua is a crime against humanity. It cannot go unpunished. What have we become if we allow politics to interfere with such unimaginable brutality perpetrated on an innocent child?” he posted on the micro-blogging site.
Read | Will bring law to ensure death penalty for those raping minors, says Mehbooba Mufti
A Bakherwal Muslim girl was allegedly repeatedly gangraped inside a “devsthan” (prayer hall) and kept sedated for hours in Rasana, Jammu, early this year. Her body was found in the nearby forests seven days later. Seven persons have been arrested till now in the case.
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Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses the 84th Congress plenary session on Sunday. (Express photo by Neeraj Priyadarshi)
Highlights
This is not a political protest: Rahul Gandhi
Calling the protest an effort to protect women and ensure justice to rape victims, Rahul Gandhi says that the Congress is not trying to politicise the issue. "This is not a political protest, this is a national matter. The government should be able to protect the dignity of women in this nation," says Rahul Gandhi
What is the Kathua rape-murder case?
An 8-year-old Bakherwal Muslim girl went missing from her house in Rasana in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on January 10. She was allegedly gangraped repeatedly inside a “devsthan” (prayer hall) and kept sedated for hours. Before being killed, she was raped again.
BJP calls the protest a 'farce'
Speaking to a private TV news channel, BJP Leader, Vaibhav Aggarwal calls Congress protest a 'farce'. "People are taking selfies, Priyanka Gandhi is laughing," he questions the motive behind the Congress midnight protest at India Gate.
Congress is politicising the issue, he adds.
PDP to hold special meeting on Saturday over Kathua rape murder case
Under fire over the Kathua rape incident, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday directed all its ministers, legislators and senior leaders to be present for a special meeting on Saturday.
READ | Kathua rape-murder case: Under-fire PDP to hold special meeting on Saturday
Congress President Rahul Gandhi reaches India Gate to protest against Kathua, Unnao rape cases
Ghulam Nabi Azad reaches 24 Akbar Road ahead of Rahul Gandhi's candlelight march at India Gate
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad reaches Congress' 10 Akbar Road office ahead of Rahul Gandhi's candlelight vigil at India Gate
Calling the protest an effort to protect women and ensure justice to rape victims, Rahul Gandhi says that the Congress is not trying to politicise the issue. "This is not a political protest, this is a national matter. The government should be able to protect the dignity of women in this nation," says Rahul Gandhi
Calling the protest an effort to protect women and ensure justice to rape victims, Rahul Gandhi says that the Congress party is not trying to politicise the issue. "This is not a political protest, this is a national matter. The government should be able to protect the dignity of women in this nation," says Rahul Gandhi.
According to the chargesheet filed by police, minutes before she was about to be killed, one of the accused asked the killer to wait so that he could rape the girl one more time. She was then strangled and hit on the head twice with a stone — “in order to make sure,” she was dead. Her body was found dumped in the forests nearby, seven days after she went missing.
An FIR was lodged by the girl’s father on January 12 and police arrested a member of Dogra community in connection with the case. After allegations of a cover up by the Bakherwal community surfaced, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch.
An 8-year-old Bakherwal Muslim girl went missing from her house in Rasana in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on January 10. She was allegedly gangraped repeatedly inside a “devsthan” (prayer hall) and kept sedated for hours. Before being killed, she was raped again.
Speaking to a private TV news channel, BJP Leader, Vaibhav Aggarwal calls Congress protest a 'farce'. "People are taking selfies, Priyanka Gandhi is laughing," he questions the motive behind the Congress midnight protest at India Gate.
Congress is politicising the issue, he adds.
The Congress workers move beyond police barricades installed around the protest venue. At least 2000 Congress supporters are now moving towards the India Gate.
Under fire over the Kathua rape incident, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday directed all its ministers, legislators and senior leaders to be present for a special meeting on Saturday.
READ | Kathua rape-murder case: Under-fire PDP to hold special meeting on Saturday
While reassuring justice for the eight-year-old girl who was brutally gangraped and murder early this year, the CM said on Twitter, “I want to assure the entire nation that I stand committed not just to ensure justice for the minor girl but also seek exemplary punishment for those responsible for a crime whose brutal savagery has shamed humanity.”
She added, “We will never ever let another child suffer in this way. We will bring a new law that will make the death penalty mandatory for those who rape minors, so this case becomes the last.” READ MORE
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has also joined the Congress protest march at India Gate. Priyanka is accompanied by her husband Robert Vadra along with Congress supporters.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad reaches Congress' 10 Akbar Road office ahead of Rahul Gandhi's candlelight vigil at India Gate