NEW DELHI: In a massive show of strength, several opposition parties on Saturday joined Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD's protest at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital against the alleged rape of young girls at a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

In a big boost to Tejashwi Yadav, Congress president Rahul Gandhi also joined the RJD protest against the Bihar government on the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex case.  



Speaking at the occasion, Rahul Gandhi said, ''What happened in Muzaffarpur is highly unfortunate. If Nitish Kumar Ji is really ashamed of what happened in Muzaffarpur, then he should take strict action against the culprits to ensure justice to the minor girls who were sexually abused and tortured at the shelter home there.''


''Today, we have gathered here for the women of our country and we stand with them,'' Rahul said.



The Gandhi scion also urged the gathering to observe a minute of silence to express solidarity to the victim of the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.   


CPI's D Raja, Atul Kumar Anjan, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal were among the prominent Opposition leaders who joined the RJD protest against the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar, at the Jantar Mantar.



The leaders voiced their anguish over the alleged rape of young girls at a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur and questioned the JDU government's stoic silence on the issue.


Various speakers at the protest venue demanded stringent punishment against those involved in the heinous crime.


Ahead of the protest, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had urged people to come out in large numbers to participate in the protest.


Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the former Bihar deputy chief minister said, “Come Delhi, join us today at Jantar-Mantar in evening for dignity and safety of Bharat Mata’s daughters. #MuzaffarpurMassRape.”


According to political observers, the RJD sponsored protest has also provided another platform to Opposition parties to showcase their unity against the NDA ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha battle. 


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had also urged Delhiites to join the candlelight protest at Jantar Mantar at 5 pm on Saturday, and Congress president Rahul Gandhi have already extended their support to the RJD's protest against the Bihar government. 


Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has taken a Suo Motu cognizance in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, with a division bench comprising Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta issuing a notice to Bihar Government and the Centre seeking a detailed reply over the issue.


The chorus for Janata Dal-United (JDU) leader Nitish Kumar's resignation gained momentum after a photograph of the owner of the shelter home, Brijesh Thakur, being felicitated by the Chief Minister, emerged.


Thakur is the prime accused in Muzaffarpur shelter home case. At least 34 girls were sexually assaulted at the shelter home. He has also been named in a case pertaining to another shelter home run by him. Eleven women have reportedly gone missing from the shelter home.


Tejashwi and his party RJD has been targeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the alleged rape incident at the shelter home in Muzzafarpur.


Under attack from several quarters, the Bihar government has handed over the case, which has come as a major blot to the clean image of Nitish Kumar, to the CBI.


(With Agency inputs)