What Nadda has to say on UP BJP MLA being convicted for raping minor, asks Siddaramaiah

PTI, Dec 17, 2023, 8:01 AM IST

Hubballi: Accusing the BJP of politicising the incident of stripping and parading a tribal woman naked in Belagavi, Karnataka Chief Minister on Saturday asked BJP president J P Nadda what would he say about an Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Ramdular Gond being convicted for raping a nine-year-old girl.

The Chief Minister’s outburst was against the BJP sending a five-member BJP central team including four MPs visiting and meeting the survivor and staging statewide demonstrations on Saturday against the December 11 incident where the tribal woman was stripped, paraded naked and tied to a pole after her son eloped with a girl from the same community in Vantamuri village in Belagavi district.

“Are you aware that a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh was jailed for 25 years yesterday? He had raped a nine-year-old girl. What Nadda has to say (on this incident)?” Siddaramaiah sought to know.

He said one should check the National Crime Records Bureau to find out how many cases of atrocities on girls and women have taken place during the BJP rule.

The Chief Minister said he strongly condemns the atrocity on the tribal woman and wanted strict punishment should be given to the perpetrators because it makes the society hang its head in shame.

Siddaramaiah said the state government has taken all the measures to offer relief to the survivor right from the minister visiting and consoling her, offering her compensation and arrest of the accused persons.

Later, the Chief Minister issued a statement saying that despite the Karnataka High Court’s restrictions, the BJP leaders visited the victim-woman “thus not only flouting the court’s directive but also displaying their insensitivity.”

“The Chief Justice of the High Court, while taking suo-motu cognisance of the incident, had suggested this morning that visits to the traumatised woman, who is severely distressed, should be restricted. This directive was notably given in the context of news about political leaders planning to visit the victimised woman. The Chief Justice’s suggestion in this situation is noteworthy,” Siddaramaiah pointed out.

Considering that the woman is receiving medical treatment, visitors’ interactions could impact her health and treatment, the Chief Minister said adding, the High Court, therefore, stated that it is necessary to restrict visits to the woman for her well-being.

The High Court had ordered that no individual, group, organisation, political party, or others should visit the woman without prior written permission from the chief medical officer of the hospital responsible for her treatment, he emphasised.

“Despite this, the BJP leaders, in a move to use a tragic incident for political gain, have visited the woman in the name of ‘truth-seeking’. It shows their blatant disregard to the court’s orders and instructions. The insensitivity and lack of respect shown by BJP leaders and their national president J P Nadda, who is supporting this behaviour, must be condemned by everyone,” Siddaramaiah said.