In the wake of countering the Centre and Bihar government over the alleged rape of 34 minor girls at a government-funded shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, the Opposition leaders protested together on Saturday, Aug 4, evening at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Around 34 minor girls were raped and sexually assaulted for months in the Muzaffarpur shelter home owned by Brajesh Thakur. More than half of the girls suffer from speech impairment. UP Police said that the girls were first sedated and raped.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury came together to slam Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not taking any strict action against the accused and turning a blind eye in the case.
RJD leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav has asked for death penalty for Brajesh Thakur, the owner of the shelter home. He further targeted Nitish Kumar, stating that he was a close aide to Brajesh Thakur. "Nitish Ji says he is hurt and is sad. Then why did he get the prime accused Brajesh Thakur's name removed from the FIR... why did he take this long to act on social audit by TISS?" Tejashwi questioned.
While narrating incidents from Mahabharata and Ramayana, Tejashwi said that Bihar was doing well under 'Rakshas Raj'. "In Bihar, Raavan is kidnapping Sita every minute. Every minute, a Duryodhana is de-robing a Draupadi," he stated, according to India Today.
"We have gathered here for the women of our country and we stand with them. If Nitish Ji is really feeling ashamed then he should take immediate action," said Rahul Gandhi.
Opposition joins hands in protest
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that Bihar's BJP-JD(U) government should resign on moral grounds.
AAP leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted from Jantar Mantar that it was a matter of '40 nirbhayas' and not only the accused but the politicians who were saving the criminals should also be hanged in three months. He said that the government should set up fast-track courts to award death sentence to the accused.
He further said that the minor girls between 7 and 17 years were subjected to violence, torture and inhuman treatment. Despite the frequent alarm of the case, it was Bihar government who did not take note of this shameful incident.
Sitaram Yechury said that BJP needs to work on its slogan "beti bachao". "We need to change this government... the slogan of 'beti bachao' is now 'save beti from BJP'," he added. Former JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav alleged that BJP has no interest in saving the daughters of the country but it is more inclined to protect cows.
The chief of the Delhi Commission for Women, Swati Maliwal, has penned down a letter to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, questioning him about the steps his government to ensure the well-being of the 34 minor girls.
