Hathras gang rape: Civil society members, eminent citizens seek CM Yogi Adityanath’s removal

NEW DELHI: Condemning the Hathras gang rape case and the subsequent rape cases reported from Uttar Pradesh, the feminists, civil society organisations and eminent citizens have said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should resign because of his ‘indifferent’ attitude. 

The group include 10,000 signatories like filmmaker Aparna Sen, actress Anju Mahendru, eminent academics like Mary John, Nivedita Menon, senior journalists Pamela Phillipose, Antara Dev Sen, senior lawyer Indira Jaising and Flavia Agnes, among others.

The signatories also included teachers, activists, poets, school teachers, former bureaucrats and citizens.

In addition to signatories from India, the list include people from US, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Hong Kong, Japan, Nepal and other countries.  

The signatories have also sought strict action against the guilty and officials who manhandled the case, and those who exposed the identity of the victim.  

The Hathras case is an example of blatant patriarchy and upper caste dominance operating through sponsored violence, the statement said. 

They said the Yogi government has lost all moral ground to rule where women, people from oppressed castes in are being systematically targeted.