Congress demands removal of Hathras DM; condemns CBI raids on Karnataka PCC chief DK Shivakumar

The Congress on Monday demanded that the UP government immediately remove the Hathras DM who is on record threatening the alleged gang-rape victim’s family. It said he should not be given any other position till it is thoroughly investigated at whose instructions and whose behest did the he go to the victim’s family and threatened them in the manner that he did.

It also expressed shock at the BJP using Central law enforcement agencies to target opposition leaders, in the context of the CBI raids on Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar.

“Why is it that before every election, the moment an election or a by-election is ordered the CBI suddenly wakes up and starts these raids? We want to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation that why is it that you always wake up before an election, are you not acting like the stooge of this government?” Sushmita Dev, President AIMC & spokesperson, AICC said while addressing the media at AICC headquarters today.

Here is the full text of the statement:

First, I will address the media on the Hathras case. We have seen that yesterday, General Secretary In-charge of UP, Smt Priyanka Gandhi Ji has highlighted something extremely significant and I say it significant because these demands come from the family of the Hathras rape victim.

First of all Yogi Adityanath Ji’s Government must immediately dismiss the DM, who is on record, on a video threatening the family and he should not be given any other position till it is thoroughly investigated that at whose instructions and whose behest did the DM go to the victim’s family and threatened them in the manner that he did.

Secondly, the family of the victim is demanding a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, what are the reasons for it? It is crystal clear that from the date, the young helpless girl was raped that all institutions within the state of UP, whether it is the SIT with senior officers are in cahoots to hush up this matter. It is shocking that an SIT was set up after 14 days and after the media and the opposition leaders, specifically Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Ji and Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji met the victim’s family in Hathras, as damage control they ordered a CBI inquiry.

Now, an important question is, CBI inquiry has been set up, but, CBI as of today, the information I have, they have not gone on the ground. SIT inquiry is still continuing on the ground. More importantly, it is heart breaking when the family of the victim is asking that after the tragic and ruthless incident of not allowing the family members to go through the proper rituals at the cremation service, they are asking that please prove to us, that the body, that was hurriedly brought and cremated with fuel, with kerosene or diesel or petrol or whatever, was that body actually of their daughter. Is there any way to determine this, the family is asking?

Thirdly, that in the name of humanity, the family has demanded that if the body was of their daughter then they should be allowed to take the ashes for a dignified ritual, which is part of their custom and their culture. Now, we want to ask the Adityanath Government that which of these demands is unjustified by the family? Should the DM not be dismissed and investigated? Should there not be a judicial inquiry? Why is the SIT still on the ground, when you have yourself ordered a CBI inquiry?

What is it that the Adityanath Government is hiding, why shouldn’t judicial inquiry happen in this and if CM UP has any shame or any conscious, he should tell the country and the victim’s family that what evidence does it have to prove that the body that was cremated hurriedly at 2:30 am in the morning is the girl’s body? And it is the family of the victim that is asking those questions, these questions remain unanswered till now.

I would like to now move to an important, equally important issue that has unfolded in Karnataka today. We have seen that there is a raid going on in PCC President’s residence and other addresses associated to his family. It is shocking how the BJP repeatedly uses these agencies to target opposition leaders.

I want to ask one question to the BJP. Why is it that before every election, the moment an election or a by-election is ordered the CBI suddenly wakes up and starts these raids? We want to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation that why is it that you always wake up before an election, are you not acting like the stooge of this government?

We would like to ask the BJP and the Prime Minister of India that “Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga”, that was your slogan, what justification can you give to the nation about not investigating Yediyurappa Ji’s family, his son, his son in-law, his grandson, there is ample prima facie evidence to say that they are dripping in corruption, recently Mr. Surjewala was in Karnataka and he did a detailed press meet on this matter, can the BJP answer that? Are there not WhatsApp messages referring to family members of Yediyurappa? Are there not enough prima facie evidence to show that son and grandson, their addresses was shared in the WhatsApp group for delivery of corruption money? Is their grandson not on record to say that the BDM commissioner should be transferred; why should he be transferred? Is it not a fact that he is dripping in corruption in this apartments case.

Today BJP is repeatedly using agencies because they know, that is the only way they can divert the attention of the nation. We condemn this witch hunt and the Congress Party stands by Shri D.K. Shivakumar who is nothing, but a victim of an election that is due to happen in Karnataka.

It is a shame on the Prime Minister of India, it is shame on the Home Minister of India, it is shame on the BJP that today you continue to shield your corrupt Chief Minister and his son, son in-law and grandson in the Rs 665 crore scam, which you deliberately do not want to investigate, we demand an inquiry, we demand an inquiry into Yediyurappa Ji’s family corruption and explain to the nation that why Yediyurappa Ji’s family is getting a different treatment from what Mr. D.K. Shivakumar is getting. We all know that there is overwhelming evidence against Yediyurappa Ji, his son, son in-law and grandson.