Arvind Kejriwal is expected to visit Jantar Mantar, where there is a protest over the Hathras case.
New Delhi:
Hundreds of people, including leaders of opposition parties, have gathered in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar tonight to protest the government for what they say is not doing enough to stop crime against women. They also demanded justice in the alleged case of gang rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman in Hathras of Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, is likely to join the protesters at Jantar Mantar, near the India Gate. The head of Bhim’s army, Chandrashekhar Azad, had also called a protest at the India Gate. But after Delhi police imposed restrictions on crowds in the area, Azad said the unrest had moved to Jantar Mantar, 3 km away.
“The UP government has no right to remain in power. Our demand is for justice to be done,” said CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
“The silence of the central government and the top leadership of the BJP on such a heinous crime and the response of the UP government thereafter speaks volumes about the authoritarian and undemocratic Chehra, Chaal, Charitra and Chintan of the ruling party,” he said. .
Protesters from the Bhim Army are expected to reach Jantar Mantar. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi tweeted in support of the protest that led to police banning large crowds around the India Gate.
The date of the protests is significant: today is Gandhi Jayanti, or the anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, who was one of the first to fight for the oppressed members of the so-called lower castes.
The 20-year-old woman, who died Tuesday, suffered fractures, paralysis and a spinal injury after a savage assault by four men from the so-called upper castes. Police said she had a wound on her tongue from being bitten while strangling her.
Congressional Leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also attended a prayer meeting today at Delhi’s Valmiki Temple set amid national outrage over the alleged rape and murder of the 20-year-old scheduled caste woman.
“We will guarantee justice for our sister. We will not sit in silence until she receives justice,” he said, addressing a crowd of congressional supporters and protesters.
“The government did not help at all. His family feels powerless. We are going to put political pressure on the government. They did not even give him a cremation following Hindu customs,” Ms Vadra said.
The opposition party has been at the forefront of demonstrations against the incident that has put Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, who rules in the center and the UP, on the receiving end of growing public outrage.
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