Unnao, Dec 7 (UNI) Stating that the Uttar Pradesh government was responsible for the death of the rape victim who was set ablaze in Unnao, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said the level of women insecurity was so abysmal in the state that even a nine-year-old girl was afraid of going to school alone.
Talking to mediapersons, Ms Vadra, who reached the Hindunagar Bhatan Khera village in Unnao's Bihar area to meet the family of the deceased, said, "The government says there is no place for criminals in the state, it claims of UP being a criminal-free state, but the reality is that there is no place for women in UP."
The Congress General Secretary reached the village at around 1230 hrs to meet the family of the victim. She talked to the victim's sister-in-law in a closed room for about half-an-hour.
Responding to questions after coming out, she said, "Even a nine-year-old girl is scared to go to school alone in the present circumstances. The criminals are roaming freely in the state and they do not have any fear of police in their hearts.
'The family of the victim was struggling for justice since one year, the accused beat up her father, kept on threatening the women and children, they even burned their crops, but the administration did not act,' Ms Vadra alleged.
Had the administration adopted sincerity in this case, such an incident could have been avoided. Such incidents are taking place one after the other in the state, she noted.
The administration will have to be serious, only then will such incidents be controlled, Ms Vadra said, while assuring the family of getting them justice and providing help in the legal battle.
Ms Priyanka said the government should answer as to why, despite repeated demands, security was not provided to the victim. The result was that she was set afire and later succumbed, she added.
Ms Vadra talked to all members of the family, while Congress state president Ajay Kumar Lallu and party's former MP from Unnao Anu Tandon were also present with her.
The Congress leader alleged that crime and criminals were being given protection in this government.
UNI YK RJ 1540