Punjab politcians from the ruling Akali Dal government have insulted the 13-year-old girl, who died after being molested and thrown out of a private bus in Moga district of Punjab earlier this week, by calling the incident 'God's will' and an 'accident'.
The girl and her mother were molested while travelling in a private bus owned by Punjab's deputy chief minister's company, and were pushed out of the bus by the molesters for resisting them. The girl died while her mother suffered severe injuries.
Instead of accepting responsibility for the crime that was another reminder of the state of affairs despite the national outrage after the Nirbahaya gangrape in Delhi, politicians in Punjab have tried to play down the incident.
"No one can stand against God's will... Even cars and planes have accidents... we should leave all this to God," Punjab's Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said on Friday, according to NDTV.
Another party member even tried to wash off responsibility of the government, by offering an 'out-of-court settlement to the grieving family.
"You know a lot of accidents take place. Whatever the compensation... If it's settled out of court, is agreeable to both the parties," Moga MLA Joginder Pal Jain said.
The teen girl's family has reportedly refused to accept the state government's compensation of ₹20 lakh compensation and an offer of a job.
They have also refused to cremate her until the permit of the transport firm, Orbit Aviation, is cancelled.
Orbit Aviation is owned by Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is the deputy chief minister and the son of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
