Shinde blunders as nation burns

‘Rapes are taking place not just in Delhi but across India,’ he said matter-of-factly, while tabling a statement related to the horrific rape case of a five-year-old girl in national capital’s East district in Lok Sabha.

The statement had the Opposition on fire as soon as the home minister made a veiled attempt to point fingers towards BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, from where 88 alleged cases of rape have been reported in past 90 days. The minister’s statement was drowned in the pandemonium forcing him to instead table a written text and leave the House.

This is not the first time Shinde has brought embarrassment to his party and government since he has taken over as the home minister. Till date, he has read out at least four objectionable statements in Parliament on a variety of issues, including those related to national security and women’s safety. Despite getting himself a new private secretary and a joint secretary to draft his statements, there seems to be no end to the minister’s disconcertment with the written word.

In December last year, the home minister had courted controversy by addressing the Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed as Shri, facing flak from various quarters. This was followed by irresponsibly naming of the victims of the Bhandara rape incident in Rajya Sabha, which had to be expunged at the intervention of the leader of the opposition Arun Jaitley.

Shinde also had to apologise in August last year, when he had taunted the actor-turned politician Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party) during a debate on Assam violence, saying that it was not a cinematic subject matter but a ‘serious issue’, which had evoked strong condemnation from Opposition members.

Heavy protests continued to be staged across the national capital on Monday over the rape and brutality meted out to a five-year-old girl in the Gandhi Nagar area of east Delhi. Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Shinde had said an inquiry has been ordered into the lapses on part of police to investigate the disappearance of the five-year-old girl and attempt to hush up the matter. Shinde told the House that the SHO and the IO have been placed under suspension, taking note of the probe lapses. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Delhi Police Neeraj Kumar, reacting to the demands of his resignation, said on Monday, ‘If my resigning will prevent such depraved action of society, then I am ready to resign a thousand time.’ Kumar asserted a newspaper editor wouldn’t resign for goof-ups by reporters.


MANOJ’S ACCOMPLICE HELD

Late on Sunday night, Pradeep, the second accused in the rape of the five-year-old girl in East Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar, was arrested from Barhaiya in Lakhisarai district of Bihar. Following the second arrest, the case would now be converted into that of a gang rape. The accused, identified as Pradeep, is a native of Darbhanga district, who had escaped to Bihar soon after raping the girl on 15 April along with the main accused Manoj. Neeraj Kumar, the Delhi Commissioner of Police said, ‘Pradeep was arrested from Barahiya area in Lakhisarai district. He is on three-day transit remand granted by a local court in Bihar. He will be brought to Delhi by Tuesday.’ Delhi police, along with Bihar’s Special Task Force, carried out several raids. ‘He was apprehended from his uncle’s residence,’ officials said.