Will Ensure Justice for Daughter of Hathras, Says Priyanka Gandhi at Prayer Meet

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said every woman in this country needs to raise her voice and question the government to seek justice for the daughter of Hathras. Addressing a prayer meeting in memory of the Dalit rape victim, she said her party will continue to exert pressure on the government till justice is delivered in the case.

The prayer meeting was organised by Valmiki community at the Prachin Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir at Panchkuian road in central Delhi. “I request everyone to raise their voice and every woman needs to question the government to seek justice for the daughter of Hathras,” she told the gathering.

“Each and every woman of this country should raise her voice against what has happened to the woman in Hathras,” she also said. The 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday. She was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.

Gandhi who has been at the forefront of the attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the incident said cremation is not done after sunset. “It was wrong to do so without the consent of the family. We need to put pressure on the government to ensure justice for the young Dalit woman,” she said.

“Our country does not have a tradition where the father, brother and the family of the victim are not allowed to light the pyre,” Priyanka Gandhi said. She also paid obeisance at the temple of Lord Valmiki. The temple hosted Mahatma Gandhi for 214 days between April 1946 and June 1947.

“Whatever has happened with the woman, her family faced it alone as they did not get any support from the government. Her family felt like they were alone. I came here to express solidarity with you and her family so that you all don’t feel you are alone,” Priyanka Gandhi said. She urged the gathering to raise their voice against the incident.

“What has happened with you all we will fight against it. I urge you all to raise your voice and we will put political pressure on the government,” the Congress leader said. “Every woman of the country should exert moral pressure on the government to get justice for their sister, she added.