Rahul Gandhi's 'Distraction' Response To Question On Kolkata Doctor's Rape And Murder: WATCH

BJP slammed Rahul Gandhi's remarks after he accused media of diverting attention from a Dalit man's killing in Raebareli when he was asked a question about the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case.

File Photo of Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi

Source : PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks regarding the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case. Gandhi, who visited his parliamentary constituency Raebareli, was asked by reporters about the Kolkata case and he responded by accusing the press of trying to distract him from the Dalit issues he was there to address.

“I am here for this matter. I know you don't want to raise this issue. You want to distract me. You don't want to give space to the voices of Dalits. I have come here to protect the Dalits and raise their issues,” Rahul Gandhi remarked, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Alleging that the media doesn't want to focus on the woes of the Dalits, Gandhi further stated, “I won't allow any distraction. I will speak on the Kolkata case in days to come,” adding that he did not wish to discuss the case at that moment.

VIDEO | "I have come here (Raebareli) to support the family of the victim (Dalit youth). I will not let you distract from this matter. I will speak on Kolkata doctor rape and murder case later," says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) as he reaches Uttar Pradesh's… pic.twitter.com/geidPmZJoV

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2024

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla sharply criticised Gandhi's remarks, calling them “shocking beyond imagination.” He told news agency ANI, “It is shocking beyond imagination that when asked about the RG Kar Medical College case, Rahul Gandhi says don't ask me about this, it is a distraction... This kind of attitude towards the issue that has shaken the conscience of the country... Is the Supreme Court indulging in distraction? How dare he call this a distraction?”

#WATCH | Delhi: BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, "It is shocking beyond imagination that when asked about the RG Kar Medical College case, Rahul Gandhi says don't ask me about this, it is a distraction...This kind of attitude towards the issue that has shaken the conscience of… pic.twitter.com/vekIKPO0ZM

— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024

Poonawalla went on to accuse Gandhi of ignoring the issues in West Bengal because of his alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). “The same Rahul Gandhi, when it comes to UP, MP, he goes, but to Bengal, where it is important to save the Constitution, there they will not go... He cannot speak a word about TMC, who is the alliance partner of the INDI Alliance... This is an insult to not just the women who are protesting but the family and victim herself. He must apologise,” he added.

The controversy comes in the wake of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on August 9, an incident that has sparked nationwide outrage and protests by civil societies and doctors demanding severe punishment for the accused and better safety measures for medical professionals.

Dalit Man Shot Dead In Raebareli 

During his visit to Raebareli, Gandhi met the family of Arjun Pasi, a 22-year-old Dalit man who was shot dead on August 11 in Salon area. Gandhi assured the family of his support and vowed to ensure justice.

“All people here are demanding justice because a Dalit man has been killed. His entire family has been threatened, one person has been killed, but no action is being taken here... The SP (superintendent of police) here is not taking action against the mastermind, he is arresting small people. I want that every section of society should be respected in Uttar Pradesh and everyone should get justice... We are not going to step back until this family gets justice,” Gandhi stated.

The police have arrested six individuals in connection with the killing of Arjun Pasi, which followed an altercation with some locals. Gandhi's visit to Raebareli highlights the ongoing tensions and demands for justice in the region.