“Tum Akeli Nahin Ho” slogans raised in support of the survivor who lost two more family members in a deadly and seemingly pre-meditated accident
Image Courtesy: PTI
On Tuesday, there were vociferous protests and sloganeering by opposition parties over the incident of accident of Unnao rape survivor after which she is critically injured. The protests began soon after the house was convened for the day and were led by Congress and supported by TMC, BSP and DMK. The members shouted “we want justice” during the protests.
A day before, on Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered at India Gate in the evening to express support and demand justice for the survivor who was seriously injured in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh. Swaraj Abhiyan leader, Yogendra Yadav, who joined the protest said, “The incident appears to be an attack and not an accident. It should be remembered that the victim’s father had earlier been killed while he was in police custody and the witness to the father’s killing died under suspicious circumstances,”
The protesters gathered at India Gate said, “Tum Akeli Nahin Ho”. You are not alone!
Noted activist Kavita Krishnan said,
This smashed car is a symbol of smashed justice for rape victims in Modi-Yogi-BJP rule. A truck, coming the wrong way, with number plate blacked out, smashes into the rape victim’s car, injuring her & her lawyer, killing 2 others. SHAME!!!
Today, RTI protests have been aligned with Unnao protests. Co-convenor of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, Anjali Bhardwaj said,
Today’s #SaveRTI protests will be held outside UP Bhawan, Sardar Patel Marg, Delhi at 1 pm to raise our voices against state impunity in #UnnaoCase . We will be drafting & filing RTI applications from there. RTI is key to question abuse of power & seek accountability.
On Sunday, a speeding truck hit the car in which the survivor was travelling with her family and the lawyer to Rai Bareilli. Two members of the family were killed while the lawyer and the survivor were seriously injured. Reportedly, the truck’s nameplate had been blackened. Also, the truck was driving on the wrong side of the road. The driver had fled the spot.
The incident has generated widespread outrage and shock, especially since there have been more deaths in the case earlier. The survivor’s father was killed after a deadly attack in custody, and even two eyewitnesses.
A case against BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was filed on Monday by the survivor’s family alleging “criminal conspiracy” behind the car clash.
The case had drawn everyone’s attention when the girl had tried to self-immolate herself in front of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s house last year alleging the Sengar had raped her. The incident happened in 2017.
On Tuesday NDTV also reported that the jailed MLA Sengar used to make calls from the prison to threaten the family of the survivor. In the FIR filed by the family, they alleged that the jailed MLA would call and say that the he had the government’s support and the police would, on repeated occasions ask them to compromise. As per the FIR, the police personnel in charge of the security of the rape survivor had informed Kuldeep Sengar of her movements. The case has been transferred to CBI on Monday night.
In another update, when questions were raised by several quarters including Priyanka Gandhi that what was the MLA still doing in BJP,
Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone? This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident.
BJP claimed that the party suspended Sengar in April 2018. Howver, there has been no mention of this in the media reports.
Rahul Gandhi also tweeted saying,
Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao A new special education bulletin for Indian women. Don’t ask questions if a BJP MLA is accused of having raped you.
AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said,
Systematic attempts to eliminate the Unnao rape victim and her family appear to be a pre-planned conspiracy & a mockery of rule of law. How can any civilised society allow such state sponsored barbarism?
Many sections have demanded the resignation of UP CM Adityanath and #AdityanathMustResign trended almost all day on Twitter on Tuesday.
Days before the accident, the Unnao survivor wrote to CJI before the accident saying “People came to my house, threatened me”. The case has highlighted several disturbing questions like, why was the number plate blackened, and the security missing.
News18 reported that the survivor has suffered a rib fracture and bleeding in her lungs. Reportedly her condition is serious and she has been unconscious since the time of the accident. She has suffered serious head injuries and several fractures in the legs.