Rahul Gandhi to hold midnight protest at India Gate to demand justice for Kathua, Unnao rape victims

NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing controversies revolving around the Unnao and the Kathua gangrape cases, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is set to hold a candlelight protest at Delhi's India Gate on Thursday midnight. Asking his followers on Twitter to join him in a 'silent and peaceful' vigil, the Congress chief said he will protest against violence against women and demand justice for them.

Taking to Twitter, Rahul said, "Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does. Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice." 

Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does.

Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 12, 2018

In another tweet, the supremo of the grand old party claimed that the culprits of such heinous crimes against women are being protected. "How can anyone protect the culprits of such evil? What happened to A#@&* at #Kathua is a crime against humanity. It cannot go unpunished. What have we become if we allow politics to interfere with such unimaginable brutality perpetrated on an innocent child?What have we become if we allow politics to interfere with such unimaginable brutality perpetrated on an innocent child?" his tweet read.

An eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district was allegedly gang-raped by six men who had held her hostage in a village temple for a week in January 2018. She was sedated time and again before being killed. The victim was abducted on January 10, was strangled to death on January 14 and her body was found on January 17, according to reports.

Commenting on the Kathua incident, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh had said earlier on Thursday, "Justice should be done to her. There shouldn't be politics on that. Criminals who did it have no religion like terrorists have no religion. All communities, Hindu and Muslims have fought for that girl and only disgruntled elements are trying to give a wrong message."

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that the investigations are on the fast track, adding that justice will soon be delivered in the case.

Whereas there has been a massive uproar in the Unnao gangrape case, an 18-year-old woman has alleged that BJP MP Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates raped her in June 2017 and that authorities had refused to register her complaint. The teen survivor also claimed that the BJP lawmaker is behind the alleged custodial death of her father. Her father, aged around 50, was rushed to a hospital from the district jail on Monday night and died during treatment. He had been arrested on April 5 under the Arms Act.

Following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe on Wednesday, the matter has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).