Congress demands rape accused should be hanged till death

Maken started his candlelight march in Chandni Chowk area along with hundreds of Delhi Congress workers.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken . Photo: PTI (File)

New Delhi: Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Friday led a candlelight march against the BJP government on the rape of minors in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and demanded a speedy trial should be held and culprits be hanged till death. Maken started his candlelight march in Chandni Chowk area along with hundreds of Delhi Congress workers. The Congress organised candlelight marches at the capitals of all the states across the country on Friday night. "We organised candlelight marches in 14 districts in Delhi. Similar, marches were held across the country (in state capitals and districts)," Maken told IANS. The party workers raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government. "Today Congress workers are protesting against the rape incidents in all the 14 districts of Delhi. "We are demanding speedy trial in these cases and the culprits should be hanged till death," he told reporters. Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for covering up the rape incidents, the former union minister said, "The BJP has been exposed as they were trying to shield their leaders. Their leaders even participated in the rallies supporting the rape accused." He also said that the cases of atrocities against the women in the country have increased under the Modi government. Asked about two BJP ministers in Jammu and Kashmir resigning after participating in a rally to defend the accused, Maken said that this came in wake of "pressure which was built due to the protest led by Congress President Rahul Gandhi". "But we want to ask when the government is going to hang the culprits, when will the BJP act against its leaders who gave controversial statements on the rape incidents suggesting he hands of Pakistan in Kathua minor rape?" Reacting to the CBI arresting the BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao rape case, Maken said, "Their MLA was arrested only when the Congress protested against he rape incidents. Was government sleeping since then?" He said that the government must refer these cases to the fast track court and hang the rape accused. Gandhi had asked party workers to hold protests across the country in support of women protection and to seek justice for the victims.