The main opposition Congress today staged a walkout in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly while accusing the government of protecting the culprits of the Basaguda rape incident in Bastar division.
The National Human Rights Commission had sent a notice to the Chhattisgarh government over the alleged rape, sexual and physical assault of 16 women by the state police personnel in January.
The alleged incident had taken place between October 2015 and January 2016.
Raising the issue of rapes in the naxal-affected division through a starred question, Congress MLA from Dantewada seat, Devti Karmaasked the Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra to inform about the number of cases of rape registered during 2014-15 and 2015-16.
She also sought to know whether the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had directed the Raman Singh government to pay compensation to rape victims in Bastar.
In his reply, Paikra said a total of 299 cases of rape were registered in Bastar division during 2014-16, of which 17 victims belonged to Scheduled Caste (SC) and 163 victims were Scheduled Tribe (ST).
He said the accused have been arrested in total 288 cases while in ten cases the accused are still at large.
One case was closed down, he added.
In 36 cases, compensation to the tune of Rs 38,71,800 was paid to the victim women as per rules, the minister said.
On the directive of NHRC, a rape victim under Keshkal police in Kondagaon district was paid Rs 1 lakh compensation in the 2013 case, he said, adding that in another three cases, action has been initiated over the letter of Commission directing to ensure compensation.
Subsequently, Karma and her colleague Bhupesh Baghel, the state unit Congress president, asked why there is no mention of rape incidents in Basaguda police station area of Bijapur where tribal women were allegedly raped by police personnel.
In his reply, the minister said the matter was under investigation and report is awaited.
Interrupting him, Baghel said a Congress delegation had visited the concerned places in Basaguda and had also met the Bijapur Superintendent of Police.
Baghel said the SP had said an FIR had already been registered in connection with the rape.
Baghel and Karma sought to know why no action has been taken on the FIR till date.
To this, Paikra said the CID was investigating the matter and whatever comes to fore in the course of the investigation, will be informed accordingly.
Unsatisfied with the reply, the Congress MLAs raised slogans saying the government was trying to protect the culprits and staged walkout.
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