Dalit youth’s murder: People of all sections should get justice, respect, says Rahul in Rae Bareli
Though Rahul did not name anybody in the state government, he accused the Rae Bareli SP of shielding the prime accused in the case
Amid accusations that police were shielding the mastermind in the murder of a Dalit youth Arjun Pasi in Rae Bareli, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday reached his constituency and said the people from all sections of society should get respect and justice in Uttar Pradesh.
“I want every section of society to get respect in Uttar Pradesh. Everyone should get justice. I have come here for this reason. We are not going to leave this issue here. We are not going to leave the issue till this family gets justice,” said Rahul Gandhi who was on a brief visit to his Lok Sabha constituency.
Though Rahul did not name anybody in the state government, he accused the Rae Bareli SP of shielding the prime accused in the case. “No action is being taken against the mastermind of the incident. The SP is not acting against the mastermind. Action is being taken against those not so important. This is the reason the people are angry here,” he said.
Pasi’s murder has turned out to be a political issue in Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency with Bhim Army holding demonstration in Rae Bareli last week to press the demand for arrest of the main accused.
A counter demonstration was also organised there by a local outfit Savarn Army, representing upper castes, demanding that no innocent person should be victimised.
Those aware of the development said seven people have been named in the FIR and six of them have been arrested while the police so far have not been able to arrest the seventh accused who is allegedly the mastermind and is on the run.
Rahul Gandhi met the victim’s family at Pichhwaria village under Narisarabad police station area of Rae Bareli and narrated the story that the victim’s mother told him. He said he would ensure that justice is done to the Dalit family in the case.
“I spoke to the mother of victim. She said some youths visited her younger son, a barber, for haircut six to seven times and did not pay. When they did not make payment the last time, her son again asked them to pay and the youth’s brother (Arjun Pasi) was killed. Injustice has been meted out to the family and this needs to be rectified. This family will surely get justice,” said the LoP.
Asked whether he would support the demand to hang the accused, Rahul Gandhi said all this depended on the provisions of law. “This is not my job. My job is to mount pressure that the provisions of law are followed. This is a Dalit family,” he said. “Whole family has been threatened and one person has been killed. No action is being taken,” Rahul said. Asked to comment on the Supreme Court’s directives asking the doctors in West Bengal to end their strike, he said he has already reacted to the issue and would not like any distraction from Rae Bareli.