Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the alleged rape of an 11-year-old Dalit girl and demanded strict action against the culprit.
In a post in Hindi on X, Mr Gandhi said such crimes were "happening continuously" in the state due to the BJP's anti-Dalit and anti-women mindset.
The deaf-and-mute girl went missing on Tuesday and was found in a field the next morning. She was bleeding from her private parts, and there were bite marks on her body. The girl is undergoing treatment at a hospital and is stated to be critical.
"The brutality and cruelty inflicted on an 11-year-old Dalit girl in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely shameful and shocking. Such crimes happening continuously in UP clearly prove that Dalits, and especially daughters, are completely unsafe under the BJP government.
"It is the result of the BJP's anti-Dalit and anti-women mindset that criminals are fearless of law and order, and victims are helpless! Till when will the daughters of Uttar Pradesh continue to be victims of such brutality," Mr Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
"We have a simple demand from the administration - take strict action against the culprit and provide speedy justice to the victim and her family," the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday arrested a 24-year-old man within 24 hours of the incident.
Daan Singh was caught following a brief exchange of fire with police on Wednesday night in which he was injured, officials said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
