Brinda Karat Visits Law Student in Jail, Accuses UP Govt of 'Helping Rapists'

Shahjahanpur: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Thursday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Uttar Pradesh government to stop "helping rapists" and said the fight for the jailed law student will be waged at every level.

The student, who had accused former Union minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand of rape, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of extortion and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

A delegation, including Karat and All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) leader Subhashini Ali, met the law student in jail and told the media that she appeared "frightened and terrified".

"The accused in this case is a very powerful person and the victim belongs to an ordinary family. She has displayed immense courage by complaining," Karat said.

She said the fight of the law student will be waged at every level and it will be ensured that she gets justice.

"The BJP-led state government should stop helping rapists. The intimidation of the family members of the woman should be immediately stopped," Karat said.

She also referred to expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar who was arrested for allegedly raping a minor in Unnao.

Attacking the BJP government, she said there is no law and order in the state.

"The victim had given 12-page-long complaint to the Delhi Police against the exploitation by Chinmayanand which was forwarded to the SIT probing the case but the FIR was not filed.

"Would you call it justice when the woman is literally dragged from her home while being arrested. This is condemnable," she said.

Karat alleged that the case against the victim was filed under pressure to save Chinmayanand while the one filed by her father was registered under relatively lighter sections.

The visiting delegation also submitted a memorandum addressed to the head of the SIT, Naveen Arora, saying important pieces of evidence including the woman's specs fitted with camera, used in making video clips, have gone missing from her hostel room.

This indicates the role of the administration of the woman's college , which is run by the trust headed by Chinmayanand, she alleged.

"The SIT is holding the woman responsible for the missing evidence whereas case should have been registered against the college administration," Karat said.

‘This is BJP's justice?' Priyanka Gandhi

In Delhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday hit out at the Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the arrest of the student who has accused former Union minister Chinmayanand of rape, and asked if this is the BJP's justice.

The law student was on Wednesday arrested on charges of extortion and sent to 14-day judicial custody. Hours later, her bail plea was rejected.

"Unnao rape case: Victim's father is killed. Victim's uncle is arrested. Following massive public pressure and after 13 months, accused MLA arrested. Attempt to kill the victim's family. Shahjahanpur rape case: Victim arrested. Victim's family being pressured," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.

Police deliberately delayed action against the accused BJP leader and it was after public pressure that they arrested him, said the Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern UP.

"Even the charge of rape has not been put on the accused BJP leader. This is BJP's justice?" she said

Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a charge with lesser punishment than rape.

Priyanka Gandhi also posted a media report claiming that police in Uttar Pradesh's Banda asked a rape victim to get two witnesses so that her case can be registered.

"This is the height of insensitivity. This makes it clear that the BJP government is anti-women. What kind of demand is this to ask a rape victim to get two witnesses of the rape? she said.