"Ray Of Hope": Priyanka Gandhi On Summons To UP Officials Over Hathras

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra kept up her attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the Hathras gang rape and the late night cremation of a Dalit woman as she welcomed the Allahabad High Court's summoning of top officials of Uttar Pradesh government and the state police.

Priyanka Gandhi, who along with her brother Rahul Gandhi, was briefly detained on their way to Hathras on Thursday, called it a "strong and encouraging order".

"The entire nation is demanding justice for the Hathras rape victim. The HC order shines a ray of hope amidst the dark, inhuman and unjust treatment meted out to her family by the UP government," the Congress general secretary tweeted today.

A strong and encouraging order from the Lucknow bench of Alld HC. The entire nation is demanding justice for the Hathras rape victim. The HC order shines a ray of hope amidst the dark, inhuman and unjust treatment meted out to her family by the UP Govt.https://t.co/kj55XGMK3B

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 2, 2020

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has summoned the top officials of the UP police and administration over the Hathras gang rape case. The officials have been asked to present themselves before the court on October 12. The family members of the 20-year-old woman who died on Tuesday, have also asked to be present so the judges could ascertain the facts about the 2 am cremation by the police which has shocked the nation.

In its notice, the court said the matter is of "immense public importance and public interest as it involves allegation of high-handedness by the state authorities, resulting in violation of basic human and fundamental rights not only of the deceased victim but also her family members".

The woman was treated with "extreme brutality by the perpetrators of the crime and what is alleged to have happened thereafter, if true, amounts to perpetuating the misery of the family and rubbing salt in their wounds," the court said.

Meanwhile, a police case was lodged against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra under the Epidemic Act on Thursday, hours after they were detained on way to Hathras.

High drama unfolded on the Yamuna Expressway near Delhi as the two top Congress leaders were detained. The Uttar Pradesh police had barricaded the roads to Hathras citing coronavirus concerns. Rahul Gandhi alleged that he was pushed to the ground and lathi-charged when he and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were marching on the highway after their convoy was stopped by the police. They were later released and taken back to Delhi by the policemen.