‘Why are you silent?’: BJP accuses Atishi of choosing official accused of raping minor as OSD
Speaking at a conference, Bansuri Swaraj presented a highlighted document, where she claimed that the accused was assigned as an OSD to Delhi minister Atishi.
Bharatiya Janata Party's Delhi secretary Bansuri Swaraj on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of favouring Premoday Khakha, the government official who allegedly raped friend's minor daughter and alleged that the accused had been assigned as officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Delhi women and child development minister Atishi.
Speaking at a press conference, Swaraj presented a highlighted document, where she claimed that the accused was assigned as an OSD to Delhi minister Atishi. She said, “There is a word used here — desired — which means the accused was handpicked by the Aam Aadmi Party and is close the AAP government who minister sahab [Atishi] chose as her OSD.”
The official allegedly raped the girl from October 2020 to February 2021 after bringing her home following her father’s death in 2020. His wife allegedly gave the girl abortion pills to terminate her pregnancy, the teenager told police in her complaint. The sexual abuse came to light when a psychiatrist at a Delhi hospital, who counselled the girl, reported the matter to the police this month.
Describing the incident as “disgusting and shameful”, Swaraj said, “The Deputy Director of the Delhi government's Women and Child Development (WCD) Department repeatedly raped a minor girl. The worst thing is the girl lost her father in 2020 and the official took her in as a guardian. He raped her when she was merely 14-year-old. What is even more shocking is that during this time, the minor girl was impergnated and the officer's wife gave her pills for abortion. Yet, the minor was raped even after the incident. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemns this incident.”
Further, Swaraj questioned the government stating that when the FIR in the matter was filed on August 13, why was it on Monday that the officer was suspended. She also questioned Atishi for being “silent on the issue”.
Swaraj also questioned Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, who sat on a protest on Monday upon not being allowed to meet the minor and her mother, and said, “Swati Maliwal ji is responsible for ensuring justice for the minor, why is she sitting on a protest and obstructing the investigation.”
“This is not a political matter. This is a matter that is shameful for the whole society. Bharatiya Janata Party is with the minor and her family in this difficult time,” Swaraj said.
Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva on Monday, posting pictures of documents- which state that Khakha was assigned as an OSD to the ministry, said, “The officer charged with raping a minor was Kejriwal Govt's favourite. Had been handpicked to serve as OSD to the Minister of WCD. @SwatiJaiHind will do well to stop her drama and @ArvindKejriwal should answer why was the rapist officer handpicked to serve as his Ministers OSD. Delhi needs an answer from you, Arvind Kejriwal! This document shows that Prem Uday Khaka was appointed as OSD to then WCD Minister, Shri Kailash Gahlot.”
What Atishi said?
Delhi minister Atishi denied BJP's allegations of her department appointing Khakha as an OSD. “This is a completely false thing. He (the accused) has never worked with me as an OSD,” Atishi told news agency ANI.
“It's a shocking incident as this accused was an officer in the Women and Child department. It's worrying as he's being charged with rape against a minor girl. I hope that the Delhi police will do the proceedings fast...As soon as Delhi CM [Arvind Kejriwal] got to know about the incident he gave the orders to the concerned officer to suspend the accused officer,” she said referring to the CM ordering the accused official's suspension.