New Delhi, Dec 27 (UNI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday raised questions over what it termed selective outrage and institutional insensitivity in cases involving violence against women, particularly the Unnao rape case and the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
Addressing the media, AAP’s Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the suspension of sentence granted to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case and flagged the emergence of a BJP national general secretary’s name in the Ankita Bhandari case.
He questioned the silence of so-called Hindu organizations and asked why there was no public outrage in either case.
Calling the Unnao rape case extremely serious, Bharadwaj said it was not merely a crime of sexual violence but a case where an elected MLA allegedly committed the offence and subsequently enjoyed the support of the administration.
He further alleged that the victim’s FIR was not registered initially and that, after a prolonged struggle, her father was beaten to death in police custody.
Subsequently, Bharadwaj claimed that attempts were made on the life of the victim, including a road accident in which two other people lost their lives. He said witnesses in the case continue to receive threats, raising concerns over their safety.
The AAP leader said the court should have shown greater sensitivity given the gravity of the case and the prevailing circumstances. He termed the court’s refusal to recognize an MLA as a public servant as “beyond comprehension.”
Questioning the legal interpretation, Bharadwaj argued that an MLA wielding such influence, where FIRs are allegedly not registered on instructions and deaths occur in custody, should be considered a public servant.
He urged institutions to take a more sensitive and serious approach in cases involving powerful individuals and crimes against women.
