Family living 'life of imprisonment', will thank anyone who understands our pain: Hathras gangrape victim's brother
The family had reached out to Rahul Gandhi earlier this year, seeking his support in getting "justice", according to the Congress which shared a letter addressed to the LoP by the woman's father
by PTI · The HinduThe brother of the Hathras woman, who was allegedly gangraped in 2020, on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) said the family is living a "life of imprisonment" and will thank anyone who raises its voice and understands its pain, be it the government or someone else.
He also said his sister's ashes have been kept at her home and will be immersed only when the family gets full justice.
The remarks came barely hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X a video of his meeting with the family members of the woman last Thursday.
Mr. Gandhi asserted that justice delayed is justice denied, adding the promises made by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to the family have not been fulfilled till date.
The BJP and its ally RLD criticised Mr. Gandhi for sharing the video while INDIA bloc constituent Samajwadi Party backed him.
Hathras gangrape victim's family said the family has been seeking justice for the last five years.
"Whoever takes up our cause and understands our pain, we will thank him, whether it is the government or someone else," he said.
"We are living a life of imprisonment ('hum to kaid waali zindagi jee rahe hai'). If the Uttar Pradesh government does not fulfil its promise, then we will see. Whether it is the government or the opposition, all are equal for us. If the UP government fulfils its promise, then what do we need. We have not got full justice even in the court. This is the fifth year on and we are still hoping from the court and the government. We are victims and cannot do anything," the brother said.
Also read: Hathras gang rape | A long caste feud, a horrific crime, and a sudden cremation
Reacting to Mr. Gandhi's post, Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava told PTI, "The approach of the opposition is full of negativity. They are creating confusion among the public by presenting distorted facts. However, the general mass is rejecting all the baseless allegations levelled by them. Still, they are moving on the same pattern."
Extending support to Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Deepak Ranjan said the promises made by the state government to the aggrieved family have not been fulfilled.
"The protocol, which the Leader of Opposition is entitled to, was not extended to him," he told PTI.
After meeting the family in Hathras, Mr. Gandhi had alleged that they are being treated like "criminals".
The family had reached out to Mr. Gandhi earlier this year, seeking his support in getting "justice", according to the Congress which shared a letter addressed to the LoP by the woman's father.
Mr. Gandhi spent around 35 minutes with the family at their home and interacted with them. He left without speaking to a waiting group of reporters who had gathered in the village for his visit.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met the Hathras family on October 3, 2020 and declared they will fight for ensuring justice to the deceased.
The 19-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped on September 14, 2020. She was moved to Aligarh for treatment and later to Delhi, where she died on September 29, 2020.
She was cremated in the early hours of October 30, with her family alleging the local police had forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night. Local police officers, however, had claimed that the cremation was carried out "according to the wishes of the family".
After an initial police probe in the matter, the CBI had taken over the investigation into the case and filed a charge sheet against all four accused.
Published - December 17, 2024 08:48 pm IST