New Delhi: Hours after Rahul Gandhi met the family of the minor girl who was allegedly raped, murdered and cremated without her parents' consent in Delhi's Old Nangal crematorium, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress leader of using the issue for his political agenda.
While addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra teared into Rahul Gandhi and slammed him for revealing the identity of the minor victim and her family.
"His (Rahul Gandhi) tweet violates Section 23 of POCSO Act and Section 74 of Juvenile Justice Care & Protection of Children Act that prohibits revealing the minor's identity. He revealed the identity of child's family & is using the issue for his political agenda," Patra said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and shared an image of his meeting with victim's father and mother with a caption that reads: "The tears of the parents are saying only one thing - their daughter, the daughter of the country deserves justice. And I am with them on this path of justice."
"Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi tweeted that the daughter of Dalit is daughter of the country. There are no two opinions on this, she must get justice. But are the daughter of Dalits in Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, who were subjected to heinous crimes, not daughters of this country," Patra said.
Furthermore, Patra also urged the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights to take strict action against the Wayanad MP under the POCSO Act and said that a notice must be issued to him.
"No one is a VIP. Rahul Gandhi must be answerable to this," BJP spokesperson said.
Patra further asked if Rahul Gandhi did not know or is he deliberately trying to be ignorant about the POCSO ACT in order to take political advantage of the unfortunate incident?
A minor Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped by a priest and three other men in the Cantonment area of the national capital on August 1, triggering widespread outrage across the country.
“I spoke with the family... they want justice and nothing else. They're saying justice is not being given to them and that they should be helped. We will do that. I said 'I am standing with you. Rahul Gandhi is standing with them until they get justice'," Gandhi told news agency ANI after meeting victim's family.