Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday condemned the recent rise in crimes against women saying there are more efforts undertaken to hide the crime rather than getting justice.
The Congress MP also raised the issue of recent sexual harassment of minor girls in Badlapur questioning whether there is an agitation required even to register an FIR.
"After West Bengal, UP, Bihar, the shameful crimes against daughters in Maharashtra force us to think where are we heading as a society? After the crime against two innocent people in Badlapur, the first step, to give them justice, was not taken until the public came out on the streets demanding justice," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.
"Will we now have to protest to even register an FIR? Why has it become so difficult for victims to even go to the police station? More efforts are made to hide crime than to provide justice, the biggest victims of which are women and people of weaker sections," the Congress leader added.
The Leader of the Opposition said that not filing an FIR not only discourages the victims, but also encourages the criminals.
"Justice is the right of every citizen, he cannot be made dependent on the will of the police and administration," he said.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Gandhi was criticised by the BJP after he avoided a question about the RG Kar rape and murder case by calling it a distraction from the Dalit issues he was to discuss in Raebareli.
When asked about the Kolkata rape and murder case, Gandhi said, “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."
“I won't allow any distraction. I will speak on the Kolkata case in days to come,” he added.