Lucknow: Under fire over the rising lawlessness in his state and protests against the Badaun gangrape and murders, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has removed Principal Secretary AK Gupta. The Chief Minister has also ordered authorities to set up a helpline to deal with complaints regarding harassment of women in every district of the state.
Talking tough, he has directed police chiefs to rush to the crime scene as soon as information related to rape is received. Meanwhile, investigation in the case continues with the police having nabbed five of the accused while two are still absconding.
The Badaun gangrape case also continues to attract political attention with leaders thronging the UP district to meet the bereaved family members of the teenaged victims. Senior leaders inclusing Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, BSP chief Mayawati, LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan are among the politicians who have paid a visit to the victims' families.
The Home Ministry, too, on Monday rapped the state government and enquired why the SC/ST Act was not slapped against the culprits in the Badaun gangrape-cum-murder case. Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, "If there is a crime against a person belonging to SC/ST, there are special provisions for it. These should be used. The Home Ministry has written a letter asking for the same to be applied and it should be applied."
But the UP government claimed the victims did not belong to the said castes.
The anger over the incident reached the doorsteps of Akhilesh Yadav's residence in Lucknow where BJP women workers held protests on Monday afternoon. The scene turned ugly with the police using water cannons to disperse the mob. Angry protesters claimed that the police also lathicharged them.
With a spate of rape cases getting highlighted in the state after the Badaun gangrape case, Union Women & Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi pressed for sensitisation of police.
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