Lucknow:
Bahujan Samaj party leader Mayawati today attacked the government of Uttar Pradesh for failing to take action against the Hathras district magistrate despite serious allegations of “threats and pressure” against the official by the family of the 20-year-old woman who was raped and murdered in the village.
The 20-year-old woman died on Tuesday after fighting for her life for two weeks. She suffered serious injuries after being assaulted by four upper caste men from her village of Hathras on September 14.
The “silence” of the state government is “sad and very disturbing,” she said.
The BSP chief questioned how the district magistrate could conduct an impartial investigation when the victim’s family accused him of trying to intimidate them.
“The family victims of the Hathras gang rape case have made many serious allegations of bullying etc. on the district DM, but the secret silence of the UP government is sad and very disturbing. Although the government has accepted a CBI investigation, how can the DM be there to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter? People are worried, ”she tweeted in Hindi.
हाथरस गैंगरेप काण्ड के पीड़ित परिवार ने जिले के डीएम पर धमकाने आदि के कई गंभीर आरोप लगाए हैं, फिर भी यूपी सरकार की रहस्मय चुप्पी दुःखद व अति-चिन्ताजनक। हालाँकि सरकार CBI जाँच हेतु राजी हुई है, किन्तु उस डीएम के वहाँ रहते इस मामले की निष्पक्ष जाँच कैसे होे सकती है? लोग आशंकित।
– Mayawati (@Mayawati) October 4, 2020
An alleged video of Hathras District Magistrate (DM) Praveen Kumar Laxkar threatening the family during a visit on Thursday has been widely shared since it was posted online. “Don’t kill your credibility. These media people … some are gone today and tomorrow others will leave. Only we’ll be here with you. Ok? It’s up to you whether you want to change your statement or no, we can also change, ”Laxkar says in the video shot on a cell phone.
In another circulating video, a woman, believed to be the victim’s sister-in-law, is seen accusing the official of trying to alter statements from family members. “They are putting pressure on us. They say that if our daughter had died of coronavirus, she would have received compensation. They say that the case will be rafaa-dafaa (eliminated). We are receiving warnings. Our father is receiving warnings.” , she says.
“They threaten us with videos of the mother (of the victim). At that time, she was talking about whatever was on her mind … They won’t let us live here. The DM is very cunning, he tries to cheat us. They put pressure on us. They force us and say our statements are unreliable, we keep changing our statements and we have no credibility. “
The official, however, denied the family’s allegation. “I deny the negative rumors about my interactions with them. Their main concern is that the accused should be hanged. I tried to reassure them and told them that the case would be tried by an expedited court,” M said. Laxkar.
The government of Uttar Pradesh has come under intense attack for its handling of the case – which also saw the late cremation of the victim without family consent and for banning media and politicians to meet the victim’s family – which led to massive protests across the country. On Saturday, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were allowed to meet with family members on his second attempt.
Later that evening, Yogi Adityanath’s government announced that the alleged rape and murder would be investigated by the CBI.