Protests in Lucknow, Delhi as Unnao Rape Survivor Battles for Life

New Delhi: As the teenaged Unnao rape survivor’s life hung by a thread in a Lucknow hospital after a truck rammed into her car on Sunday night protests broke out in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as well as in Parliament, accusing the BJP of ‘extending patronage’ to the key accused, its own party MLA from Unnao, Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

In Lucknow, the Opposition Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party held protests, alleging a conspiracy behind the ‘accident’ in Rae Bareli that claimed the lives of the survivor’s two aunts, leaving her and her lawyer in a critical condition, battling for their lives.

After public outrage on Monday, the key rape accused, Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Sengar, considered close to chief minister Adityanath, and already in jail, was booked for murder, along with nine others.

The Unnao rape survivor's family, led by her mother, has already filed a complaint, alleging "conspiracy" behind the Sunday's car crash.

In a tweet, BSP president Mayawati said, "The meeting of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj with the rape-accused BJP MLA in jail proved that the raped accused are continuously getting the patronage of the ruling BJP...The Supreme Court needs to take cognizance of it."

Congress workers led by leader of the Legislature Party Ajay Kumar Lallu staged a dharna, demanding expulsion of the BJP lawmaker from the party.

"Government has become criminal-friendly. It should act impartially but it appears to be standing alongside the one who is committing one crime after the other. The government's role is not impartial. We are demanding justice for the victims and they accuse us of doing politics," senior party leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted: “Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone? This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident.”

In Lok Sabha, the entire Opposition protested against the incident and demanded full security for the rape survivor’s family. However, the BJP pointed fingers at the Samajwadi Party, blaming it for the ‘accident’.

Congress-turned- BJP lawmaker Jagdambika Pal BJP leader even claimed the truck that hit the car -- in which the girl, her family members and lawyers were travelling -- belonged to a SP leader.

Meanwhile, in Lucknow, SP leader and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav met the family members of the rape survivor at the hospital, and held the government fully responsible for the accident.

"Can the state government not ensure justice to this beti (daughter). What is the fault of the family members? If something happens to the two injured who will be responsible for it," Yadav asked.

According to doctors at the KGMU Trauma Centre, both the injured are on ventilator support and their condition was being monitored, said a PTI report.

The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into the road accident.

A woman belonging to Makhi police station area in Unnao had alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her teenage daughter at his residence in 2017.

The case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.

Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year.

In Delhi, several women and youth organisations held a protest demonstration in front of UP Bhawan, terming the ‘accident’ as an “attempt to murder”.

“Under the circumstances, the involvement in the accused MLA Sengar who is now in jail but wields great power even from prison is strongly suspected and an FIR has been lodged against him and ten others for murder, attempted murder and criminal conspiracy. The BJP has not yet taken any action against their rape accused MLA nor expel him from the party. The RSS-BJP regime in Uttar Pradesh and the country have been flouting all democratic norms and intimidating and terrorising all opponents in blatant attempts to force them into submission,” said  statement by the All India Democratic Women’s Association.

The organisation demanded that best available treatment should be given to the critically injured girl and her lawyer with the state government bearing the entire expenses; protection to the girl, her lawyer and family be given immediately; action be taken against the police personnel responsible for her safety; immediate inquiry into the phone facilities provided to the jailed accused MLA Sengar and action against the jail authorities concerned for dereliction of duty, and also that the trial be started immediately in a fast track court in a time-bound manner.

Meanwhile, as pressure from the opposition and civil society grew, demanding expulsion of Sengar from BJP, the party claimed that the rape accused MLA had already been suspended ”long ago”.

"Sengar was suspended by the party earlier and there is no change in his status," Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh told PTI.

(with inputs from PTI)