By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind kejriwal extended his support to the Dalit rape victims of Bhagana on Tuesday.
About 100 Dalit families from Bhagana village in Haryana’s Hissar district are sitting on dharna since April 16 at Jantar Mantar and even met the then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, on April 27. Shinde, who is himself a Dalit, had assured to look into the matter. But so far nothing has come out of this.They have also met the Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, but in vein.
On Tuesday evening Arvind Kejriwal visited the protesters at Jantar Mantar and assured of all possible support to help the victims get justice. He was accompanied by AAP leader Yogendra Yadav, who had contested the Lok Sabha election from Guragaon, but lost. Yadav had visited them earlier too. Several AAP workers, in their trademark caps were also present at the dharna site.
Arvind Kejriwal reminded the protesters that the Congress and BJP have trapped the people of this country by playing politics of caste. He urged the voters to fight united against the vested interests for justice.
On June 4, as the Delhi Police had forcibly removed the tent of the protesters early in the morning, AAP had issued a strong statement condemning the incident.
The protesters from Bhagana are demanding justice for the four teen aged Dalit girls who were raped by the dominant land holding Jats from the same village.
On March 23, away from the media glare, as the election campaigns were in full swing four girls, belonging to the Balmiki community in Bhagana village were allegedly kidnapped by a group of Jat boys and gang-raped. They were dumped at Bhatinda railway Station, about 170 Km away, where they were found in “almost unconscious state” by the village head and their relatives a day later.
To file even the FIR, they had to sit on dharna and call local champion of Dalit causes, Ved Pal Tanwar. Under pressure police filed the FIR but victims’ families were not satisfied and they sat on dharna outside the District-Headquarter (Mini-Secretariat). Seeing no actions and progress in the case, they eventually moved to the National Capital on April 16.
According to a protester, few days back some officials from the Home Ministry had also visited the dharna site and urged them
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Bhagana’s Dalit victims seek justice; protest at Jantar Mantar