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For newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi,
gender justice and women empowerment are high on the agenda. Taking cognsiance
of reports of the alleged rape of 11 minor tribal girls in Chattisgarh within a
government run residential school, Rahul Gandhi has urged the Youth Congress
and NSUI members in the state to take up the issue and compel the BJP state
government to take action.
Rahul Gandhi had also recently visited the family of the
Delhi gang rape victim alongwith Congress President Sonia Gandhi, soon after
the Centre issued an ordinance on sexual assault paving the way for death
penalty for rape in certain cases.
Congress MP and former Women and Child Development Minister
Renuka Chowdhury is also in Chattisgarh to protest against the BJP led state
government’s inaction in ensuring justice to the rape victims who are minors.
Chowdhury said, “The incidents took place in August last year but have come to
light only now. The state government is not allowing a free and fair enquiry,
they are more interested in sweeping things under the carpet.” Chowdhury
emphasizes that the victims in this case were minor tribal girls between the
ages of five and 12 and were under the care of their warden and school staff,
who turned out to be their aggressors.
The Congress-led Centre had in the wake of the horrific
Delhi gang rape incident in December, committed to bringing in stronger laws to
tackle crimes against women. When the elder brother of the Delhi gang rape
victim urged that one of the accused who is a juvenile should not be allowed to
get away with a light sentence on the plea that he is a juvenile, Rahul Gandhi
reportedly assuaged his concerns but added that “the law had to take its
course.” He also informed them about the steps being taken by the government
such as the Ordinance on sexual assault to ensure better safety and security
for women.
Sonia Gandhi, who is also the UPA Chairperson, had met the
family earlier, and was reportedly keen to stay in touch with them and assure
them that "their daughter’s life had not gone in vain."
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