On Saturday in a dramatic twist following huge police arrangements and traffic jams, But Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with three other party leaders were finally allowed to meet the family of the 19-yead-old girl who belonged to Hathras died four days ago after being allegedly gang-raped by upper-caste men.
Rahul Gandhi succeeded in this second attempt to meet the victim’s family, Rahul announced the (DND) Delhi-Noida Direct flyway where he, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and various other Congress MPs and supporters were stopped by the Police from entering Uttar Pradesh in the afternoon, which lead to massive traffic jams with people stuck on the 9.3-kilometer stretch for more than one hour.
Rahul Gandhi Announced “Five Congress leaders have been allowed to visit Hathras,”
K.C. Venugopal, P.L. Puniya, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will be accompanying Rahul and Priyanka to Hathras, the sources said.
Rahul Gandhi was pushed to the ground by the Uttar Pradesh Police personnel when he and his sister Priyanka were marching towards Hathras after their vehicles were stopped on the Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Budh Nagar. It was Rahul and Priyanka’s second attempt to visit Hathras.
The Police detained the Congress Leaders and a case was registered against them under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Priyanka made it clear that she will meet the victim’s family even if the policy does not allow her to go there, She said earlier on Saturday before moving towards Hathras.
“I will visit Hathras at any cost even if the policy does not allow us.” Priyanka Gandhi told IANS before leaving the Congress headquarters with Rahul in their Toyota Innova vehicle.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra drove the vehicle with her brother Rahul Gandhi sitting next to her.
Dozens of Congress MP’s Including Shashi Tharoor are traveling to Hathras, along with the two leaders.
Tharoor told IANS that “It is a terrible incident and we have to show our respect for the girl. Whatever has happened, nothing worse can happen in this country.”
Priyanka Gandhi visited Delhi’s Valmiki temple on Friday to attend a prayer meeting for the girl who passed away on Tuesday at a government hospital in Delhi. Priyanka told that the family of the victim should not feel alone at this point in time.
The Police resorted to lathi-charge on them, when they tried to march towards Hathras. The Congress leaders alleged on Thursday.
An (SIT) Special Investigation Team has been formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the death of the 19-year old girl.
Several officials were also suspended on Friday evening by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The village had been sealed by the Uttar Pradesh Police, any individual from outside was not allowed to enter the village including media persons for the last two days. However, today the media was allowed to enter the village.
The 19-year-old girl suffered from fractures, paralysis, and a spinal injury after the savage attack. Which led to her death on Tuesday at Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital.
with IANSinputs