FILE photo: Nihal Chand Meghwal
The National Commission for Women (NCW) today said it will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against Union minister Nihal Chand after his name came up in an alleged case of rape.
"This is really unacceptable. Even when a minister commits a heinous crime like rape, the punishment meted out to him should be the same as that for a commoner.''
"I will write to the prime minister and seek action against the minister... The minister must be immediately dismissed from government," said NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma.
Nihal Chand's name came up along with 16 others in a First Information Report or FIR lodged by a 24-year-old married woman from Jaipur. In the FIR filed in 2011, she alleged that the accused had sexually exploited her.
Nihal Chand and the other accused have been asked by a Jaipur court to appear before it in connection with the case.
The notices were issued by the court on a review petition filed by the complainant.
Nihal Chand is the the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertiliser and the only MP from Rajasthan in Mr Modi's Cabinet.
Congress has already questioned Mr Modi's silence over the issue while demanding Nihal Chand's resignation. Congress leader Shobha Oza had said that despite Mr Modi giving speeches on the safety of women, Nihal Chand is yet to be sacked