Hathras: Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad Sunday demanded ‘Y’ security for the family members of the 20-year-old Hathras woman who was allegedly gang-raped by four upper caste men on 14 September. The woman died earlier this week at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.
Aazad, along with six other members of the Bhim Army, an outfit that works to promote Dalit rights, reached the woman’s house in Boolgarhi village around 4.15 pm Sunday after the UP government issued permission around noon.
“If Kangana Ranaut can get Y+ security why can’t my family, people of my community, get it? Does the torture done to them not count?” Aazad said, speaking to the media.
The Bhim Army chief added that he didn’t think a CBI investigation in the case will be fair.
“We have no faith in (investigations by) government agencies like the CBI and SIT. They are part of the state machinery, which only follow the government’s orders. Everyone has seen how the DM (district magistrate) and other officials have tried to intimidate the family members,” Aazad said.
The Yogi Adityanath government Saturday transferred the Hathras case to the CBI, with the chief minister tweeting that they are determined to inflict the harshest punishment on those responsible for the incident.
हाथरस की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना और जुड़े सभी बिंदुओं की गहन पड़ताल के उद्देश्य से @UPGovt इस प्रकरण की विवेचना केंद्रीय अन्वेषण ब्यूरो (CBI) के माध्यम से कराने की संस्तुति कर रही है।
इस घटना के लिए जिम्मेदार सभी लोगों को कठोरतम सजा दिलाने के लिए हम संकल्पबद्ध हैं।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) October 3, 2020
Aazad said that if his demands aren’t met, he will march to the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.
‘Can’t let them attack the family’
The Bhim Army chief said that the CBI inquiry was only introduced to scare the family of the victim. “The key to the CBI is held by this government. It’s only a way to suppress the opposition,” he claimed.
Aazad demanded that a retired justice of the Supreme Court be given the responsibility to look into the matter. “We only trust the top court,” he added.
He also said he will take the woman’s family members to his own home if ‘Y’ security isn’t provided to them.
The family members of the woman, speaking to the media with Aazad, agreed with his demands and said they feel threatened in their village. “Protests, chaos are created at every corner by them (members of the Thakur community). What if they come and attack the family tomorrow? I can’t let that happen,” he said.
Some upper caste residents of the village took out a march against Aazad’s visit to Boolgrahi Sunday, raising slogans like ‘UP Police Zindabad’. The conduct of Uttar Pradesh Police as well as district administration in the Hathras case has come under the scanner over allegations that the family’s complaint was initially ignored, and especially in light of her controversial cremation late Tuesday night.
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