BJP leader announces Rs 5 lakh reward for one who beheads Mandsaur gangrape accused

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sanjeev Mishra has triggered a row with his remark on Mandsaur gangrape case. The BJP leader has declared a reward of Rs 5 lakh for one who beheads the accused in the case and gets his head.

Calling for a harsh punishment for the accused, Mishra said, “We demand capital punishment for the accused. If court or administration is not capable of doing it, I have said I will give Rs 5 lakh to the person who beheads the accused and gets his head.”

The statement by the leader came just hours after a BJP MLA said that the accused have stigmatised the entire Muslim society. BJP MLA from Agar Malwa, Gopal Parmar, further said that in order to prevent such acts people should make their children virtuous, especially those who belong to the same community as that of the accused.

The brutal gangrape of an eight-year-old girl in Mandsaur has triggered angry reactions from leaders across party lines. While Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted that the guilt would not be spared, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that everyone needs to come together as a nation to protect our children.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the Gandhi scion said, “In Mandsaur, MP, an 8-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang-raped, and is battling for her life. The brutality this young child was subjected to sickens me. As a nation, we must come together to protect our children and bring the attackers to speedy justice.”

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister transferred Rs 5 lakh to the account of the victim's father. However, he refused to accept the same, saying, "I do not want any compensation. I just want the accused to be hanged."

Two men - Irfan, 20 and Asif, 24 - have been accused of abducting the girl from her school and raping her at a secluded place.