Bihar rape victim's death: Cong terms it 'institutional murder', says govt 'failed' people

New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday squarely blamed Bihar's JDU-BJP government for the death of a minor Dalit rape victim and urged people to get rid of the dispensation which "failed them on all fronts".

It termed the girl's death "institutional murder".

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Congress leader Ranjeet Ranjan claimed that governance and law and order in Bihar are in shambles, and women are no longer safe since those in power are sheltering criminals.

She said the Dalit girl was raped on the evening of May 26 in Muzaffarpur and was subjected to severe beating, which was horrifying.

According to police, the accused lured the minor on the pretext of offering chocolate near her aunt's house and took her to a maize field. He raped the girl there, they said.

Congress leader Shama Mohammed said the eight-year-old girl was raped, her body bore 20 knife marks, and she was left in a brick klin to die.

Ranjan alleged that the 34-year-old man with violent tendencies who committed the heinous crime, "has been involved in such incidents earlier too" but he was "allowed to roam freely under the Nitish Kumar government".

"What is the NDA government in Bihar doing? What kind of government is there, which on one hand gives 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' slogan and on the other hand shelter and not act against those committing heinous crimes," she said.

The Congress leader said several heinous crimes are taking place in Bihar and the government and the chief minister are "sleeping".

"This is law and order failure, as well as the failure of the administration and of health services. What kind of governance are you providing in Bihar after making big claims?

"What kind of governance are you providing that such crimes against women are taking place? I would again say that such heinous crimes against poor women in Bihar are taking place because your government is sheltering criminals," Ranjan told reporters.

"The JDU-BJP government is completely responsible for the institutional murder of a minor girl in Bihar. I have no expectations from such a shameless government and I urge the people of Bihar to root out such a government from power," she said.

Ranjan said when Congress Party leaders met the girl and her family in Muzaffarpur, it was revealed that her condition was showing no sign of improvement.

When her condition turned critical, she was referred to AIIMS-Patna, where the doctors "refused to treat her", the Congress leader said. "The girl was sent to Patna PMCH, where she had to wait in an ambulance for hours. She did not get timely treatment. Under pressure, she was admitted to the children's ward after five hours," she claimed.

In Patna, state Congress president Rajesh Ram alleged that the rape victim, referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), was left waiting in an ambulance for several hours on Saturday, allegedly due to the unavailability of a hospital bed.

Ranjan alleged that rape incidents happen in Bihar because the criminals are nurtured under the patronage of the government. "Earlier also when such incidents happened, we raised our voice but the government did not act," she said.

Slamming the Nitish Kumar government, Shama Mohammed said, "Had she been a VIP's daughter or a high-caste child, she would have been admitted to AIIMS-Patna." It was the Bihar Congress president who fought with hospital authorities to get the girl admitted, she said.

"Imagine if a state Congress president cannot get a child admitted, what hope do common people have? This discussion went on for five hours while the little girl was lying in the ambulance. What does it say about the governance in the BJP-JDU's government?" she posed.

"What does the PM say? Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao! But why are the rapists mostly associated with the BJP or are active BJP legislators," Shama Mohammed alleged.