Why PM Modi silent on Hathras, protesting farmers' deaths: Cong

New Delhi: Slamming the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government for trying to hush up the Hathras gangrape and murder case, in which the CBI has now filed a chargesheet, the Congress on Sunday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are silent on

the issue?

While addressing a press conference on Sunday, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said, "Yogi Adityanath and his government now stand exposed after the CBI chargesheet in the gruesome Hathras rape and murder case."

The Congress spokesperson further alleged that the government of Yogi Adityanath launched a national campaign along with a section of media to tarnish the character of the helpless Hathras ganagrape victim by questioning the motive of the family, financial capacity of the family and repeated attempt to change it into a caste dispute or honour killing.

Speaking to the media, AICC spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed also expressed surprise at the silence being maintained by PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah with respect to the farmers' agitation.

"Narendra Modi-led Central govt is responsible for the deaths of 33 farmers, who have died during the ongoing farmers' protest,"

she said.

Presenting the details of the gruesome incident, the Congress leader said, "The FIR took 8 days to be registered, that too after her family ran from pillar to post. Despite her dying declaration on September 22 in the presence of the District Magistrate where she stated that she was gangraped, the Hathras SP kept insisting that there was no evidence of sexual assault."

"UP Additional DG of Police Law &Order Prashanth Kumar citing some reports which spoke about absence of semen on victim's body, kept distracting the investigation saying the victim was not raped. As per Nirbhaya Act 2013, presence of semen is not a legal requirement to determine rape and it's really surprising that the DG of a state did not know this fact," she said.

"We demand that the accountability must be fixed and UP Police officials, who are responsible for this botch up, should be punished for this wilful subversion of justice," she said.

On farmers protest, she said "Thirty-three farmers have died due to extreme cold and ailments. The Modi government is responsible for their deaths. It is very cold even sitting inside a house; we need heaters; now, they are on the roads

out there."

Commenting on the PM's visit to Gurdwara Rakabganj, the Congress leader said, "Modi ji must visit the protesting farmers and listen to them. Give justice to these farmers and repeal these black laws," Shama added.