Union minister Smriti Irani today said stern action will be taken against those found guilty in the Unnao rape case, in which a BJP MLA is the accused, and condemned what she said were efforts to "politicise" such cases.
"The law and the administration will work according to the Constitution and an appeal in this regard has been made by senior persons in the BJP. There are some people who want to politicise such incidents, but as a woman, I believe and it is my request that victim-shaming should not be done," she said, responding to reporters' questions on the Unnao case here.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister also took a dig at Congress president and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi for taking part in a candlelight march in New Delhi yesterday against the growing incidents of crime against women in the country.
"Those who asked for votes for Gayatri Prajapati are protesting today. People know the reality," she said.
Irani, who started her two-day Amethi visit this morning, said, "I appeal to the people to have faith in the legal process...stern action will be taken as per the provisions of the Constitution against those responsible (for the Unnao incident). The CBI is investigating the matter...our government is with the victim's family."
Her remarks came hours after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe in three cases related to the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and detained the legislator for questioning.
The victim has alleged that on June 4, 2017, she was raped by the MLA of Bangarmau in Unnao district at his residence, when she had gone to meet him with a relative, seeking a job.
In February, the girl's family had moved the court, seeking to include the MLA's name in the case.
After the case was filed, the victim's father was booked by the police under the Arms Act on April 3 and put in jail on April 5.
Frustrated with the alleged police inaction on her complaint and coercion from influential people, the victim had attempted self-immolation in front of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath's residence on April 8.
The next day, her father had died in jail with the post-mortem report suggesting serious injuries on his body, triggering a massive political row over women's safety in Uttar Pradesh.
The CBI sleuths swooped down at Sengar's residence in Lucknow in the early hours today and took the four-time MLA to the agency's office for questioning.
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