RAIPUR: Seems like the BJPs’ frail foothold in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh is further weakening after the ruling party slammed the opposition for ‘siding by’ rape accused Palash Chandel son of LoP Narayan Chandel.
At a press conference on Saturday, Chief of Congress media cell Sushil Anand Shukla expressed concern about BJP senior leaders like Arun Sao speaking in favor of the accused. “They are also saying politics is being played. But not even a single leader, not even tribal leaders from the BJP, till now has spoken in favor of the rape victim. We demand the BJP to ask for the resignation of their leader of Opposition Chandel. Also, Chandel must surrender his son before the police for further investigations, said Shukla.”
The statement by Shukla came against the backdrop of a video clip uploaded on the BJPs social media handle for CG where the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Bilaspur Arun Sao siding with the accused. In the video Sao says, “In the rape case levelled against opposition leader’s son the victim is from Janjgir and the incident (rape) also is from Janjgir but FIR was registered in Raipur…somewhere this points towards a conspiracy. But we have trust in the law and judiciary. It will do its work.”
On being contacted about the allegations, the party spokesperson denied knowing party officials siding with the accused. He further highlighted that the accused was neither a BJP Party member nor into politics.
An FIR is registered against Palash Chandel son of Narayan Chandel by a tribal woman who according to the complaint was raped on the pretext of getting married and was later coerced to abort on being pregnant. The FIR was registered under sections 376 (2) (n) (commits rape repeatedly on the same woman), 313 (Causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and section 3 (punishment for offenses done by a person who is not SC or ST) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act) 1989.
The victim was later provided with security as she told the police to have been receiving threats to withdraw her complaint.