New Delhi/Lucknow, Oct 2 (UNI) Outrage against the 19-year-old Hathras Dalit girl's gang-rape, murder and unsymbolic cremation magnified on Friday with opposition leaders, social activists and students holding a massive protest at Jantar Mantar and forcing the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend Hathras SP and the DSP over laxity in dealing with the heinous crime.
Daring COVID-19, Jantar Mantar in the National Capital became the epicentre of the protest. Farmers' leader and activist Yogendra Yadav, civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan, leaders from Left parties - -Sitaram Yechurry, Brinda Karat, Dalit leader Chandrashekar Azad, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and many others assembled at the historical protest site and held candle light march.
"The UP government has no right to stay in power. Our demand is that justice should be served," CPI (M) leader Mr Yechury averred.
Senior Advocate Mr Bhushan called the UP governance a "gundaraj". "The police have surrounded the village, and are not allowing opposition leaders and mediapersons to enter it. They have taken away the mobile phones of the family members of the victim,” Mr Bhushan said.
Mr Yadav said the incident is an example of caste atrocity. "The body was burnt without the permission of the family. Afterwards, there was a reign of terror against the family, the media was barred from entering, and the family was threatened by the administration. This could not have happened to a woman, who was not Dalit," he said.
Dalit leader Mr Azad came down heavily on the UP administration over the treatment meeted out to the deceased. "She was burned like a garbage," he roared.
Most of the protestors, in unison, demanded resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The Congress, on the other hand, picked Maharashi Valmiki temple where a prayer meeting was held for the Hathras victim. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi asked every woman to raise its voice against what happened to the Dalit girl. "Our country does not have a tradition where the father, brother and the family of the victim are not allowed to light the pyre," she said while addressing the prayer meeting.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said those who dishonour women will be given such punishment that will set an example for future. In a twitter post, Mr Adiyanath asserted that his government is committed to provide safety to every mother and sister of the state.
Section 144 remained enforced in Hathras on the second consecutive day. Hathras Additional Superintendent of Police Prakash Kumar said restriction on the Restriction on the entry of media, individuals and politicians will remain till the Special Investigating Team (SIT) completes its probe.
Several mediaperons protested at the village border for restricting their entry. They called it undemocratic and a deliberate attempt to muffle the voice of the press.
A four-member delegation led by Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien, on their way to Bul Gargi village in Hathras was stopped by the police and the TMC leader was shoved to the ground in the following scuffle.
O'Brien was pushed to ground by a cop, while he was trying to rescue TMC MP Pratima Mandal during the confrontation with the police. Following this, the delegation sat on a ‘dharna’ to register their protest over the incident.
In the evening, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharati urged Mr Adityanath to allow mediapersons and politicians to meet the family members of the deceased.
In Lucknow, the principal opposition leaders, including over 20 legislators, held a ' silent dharna'. Chaos prevailed in the VVIP area near Chief Minister's residence after the Samajwadi protested and the entire area was cordoned off by the security personnel.
Lucknow district president of Congress Ved Prakash Tripathi, along with hundred of workers, were arrested when they were bringing out a peace march in Mohanlalganj area.
As per a media report, the UP police has taken away the mobile phones of the family members of the deceased. An awful silence prevails in Bul Gargi village with all remaining confined in their homes and police continuously patrolling the streets.
The girl, a native of Hathras, had gone to a farm with her mother on September 14, to collect animal fodder. However, four upper caste men allegedly raped, brutally assaulted, strangulated and dragged her with her 'dupatta'.
She was later found in the field with severe injuries, Hathras Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir had told media persons.
The victim was shifted to Safdarjung hospital in south Delhi from Aligarh's J N Medical College Hospital (JNMCH) on the request of her father for better care, where she breathed her last on Tuesday early morning.
She was cremated in her village in the middle of the night in the absence of family members, sparking widespread outrage.
UNI Team PS JAL 2141