Even as protests continue to grow against UP govt. in brutal gangrape and murder in Hathras in UP, another heinous crime of gangrape and murder has been reported from Balrampur district in UP, again of a Dalit girl. It only shows utter contempt of Dalit lives under RSS-BJP rule in UP. 

Hathras incident is unprecedented in the sense that even the body of the deceased girl was not handed over to the family for cremation; and that too despite protests erupting against this gang-rape. It is clear that ruling RSS-BJP dispensation at the Centre and in the State (UP) are so sure of their control over different organs of the state and media that they do not bother even to show any concern for the victims and their families. The way protesters were arrested in UP and Delhi shows the utter disregard of the public opinion by the rulers. UP Govt. does not feel answerable for the fact that no FIR was lodged for 10 days after the gang rape when the girl had gone to police station to lodge her complaint and was turned away. She died a fortnight later but no concern was shown by Yogi Govt. She was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi when her condition deteriorated. 

In this case, while culprits have been arrested no action is being even contemplated against the police officials who refused to register FIR or those officers who burnt her body without consent of her family. It might be to pre-empt any demand for re-post mortem. The coercion exercised by the UP police is most nefarious. More than 200 PAC personnel along with police force of 11 police stations were brought to the village to terrorize the relatives and the villagers. A distant relative was forced to stand for the cremation while father and brother of the deceased along with other family who pleaded with officers of police and administration to let them cremate in the morning were locked inside the house. Even the deceased’s mother’s plea to let the body be taken for one last time inside the house was also brushed aside. Villagers and relatives who protested were beaten. The whole operation was conducted under the supervision of District Magistrate and SP of Hathras. From the way the police and administration handled the whole operation in Hathras it is clear that increase in the atrocities on Dalits including gang rapes of Dalit girls is not accidental but a direct result of the actions of Yogi Govt. 

Lucknow Bench of UP High Court has taken up suo moto cognizance of this issue as Public Interest Litigation. The way her body was burnt in the middle of night, is shameful to the whole system and to all those who sing paeans to this system. The High Court Bench must ensure that this case be taken to its logical end. And for that DM and SP of Hathras along with other officers present in the village on that night must be immediately suspended. DGP of UP Police who justified the midnight forcible cremation should be shifted out of UP. The investigation of case as well as the security of the family and relatives of the deceased should be handed over to an independent agency under the supervision of the Court. The farce of SIT constituted by Yogi Govt. should be ended. The whole issue of forcible cremation as well as non-registration of FIR should be taken up and responsible police officials must be given exemplary punishment. It is not just a question of punishing the culprits who must be punished but of bringing to book all those responsible for the ordeal of the girl including his death and of the family. 

From their conduct it is rulers are hardly bothered! The way the UP Govt. has handled Balrampur gangrape murder shows that they have scant regard for the rights or well being of the people. Under the present fascist dispensation police and bureaucracy are fully emboldened and empowered. And you can still hear of murmurs of “soft state”! Such is the brazenness of UP govt. that a BJP leader is reportedly remarked that vehicles turn in Yogi’s rule! For ushering such a lawless rule which is terrorizing the people particularly the oppressed sections, Yogi govt. should be immediately dismissed! 

The whole fascist rule is targeted against exploited and oppressed. Dalits are among the most oppressed and their women even more of the most oppressed. The whole cultural dispensation spawned by Manuwadis is against Dalits and women, and the same is being sought to be elevated as ‘nationalist ethos’. 

The handling of the cases pertaining to Dalit women is not accidental, but show ingrained prejudices. Let all justice and democracy loving people come forward and demand that not only culprits but the police officials guilty of dereliction of duty be punished without delay. The delinquent must be punished and punished without delay.  

CPI(ML)-New Democracy

October 1, 2020