Congress Accuses BJP Government of Protecting Criminals

Alka Lamba, president of the party's women's wing, questioned when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who speaks through his 'Mann Ki Baat' program, would address the atrocities against women.

Speaking to reporters, Lamba said, "Bihar is witnessing a reign of misgovernance. A minor Dalit girl was raped in Muzaffarpur, but what did the government, administration, police, and hospital do? This is not just about one girl; millions of girls are victims of this governmental system."

She claimed that several girls in Bihar have faced brutality within a span of just 15 days. Lamba further stated, "Bihar is under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s misrule, and he must be held accountable. We demand that the Bihar government ensure accountability in these cases."

 Providing data on court hearings related to crimes against women, Lamba noted, "In 2022, 18,517 cases were concluded, with 5,067 convictions and 12,062 acquittals. In 2021, 11,783 cases were finalized, with 3,368 convictions and 7,745 acquittals." She questioned, "In cases of rape of minor girls, the punishment should be death, but why isn’t it happening? That’s what we are asking."

Lamba further alleged, citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, "There are only 410 courts in the country to hear cases of crimes against minor girls, while the cases number in the lakhs. If these cases are heard in Bihar, it will take 28 years for victims and their families to get justice. The truth is that this government is not standing with daughters but is engaged in protecting criminals. This is why daughters are not safe, and criminals are emboldened."

Congress leader Garima Mehra Dasauni referenced the high-profile Ankita Bhandari case in Uttarakhand, stating, "On May 30, the Kotdwar court delivered its verdict, sentencing the main accused to life imprisonment. However, this verdict is incomplete because it was based only on the evidence presented, while crucial evidence was destroyed."

The Congress party claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is so desperate for publicity that it released a poster crediting Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the Ankita Bhandari murder case verdict even before the court's decision was announced. They further alleged that several rape incidents have occurred in Uttarakhand, with many cases showing the involvement of BJP leaders.