People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Uttar Pradesh constituted an inquiry team and visited Hathras, UP in November 2020 to inquire about the recent heinous gangrape-murder of a Dalit woman.

The Team comprised: Manish Sinha, Seema Azad, Alok, Vidushi, Siddhant Raj, Shashikant, KB Maurya, Tauheed, KM Bhai and Kamal Singh.

The inquiry report was published on 10^th November 2020 and was released through a press conference in Press Club, Lucknow, UP on 21^st November. It has also been published in the December 2020 issue of PUCL Bulletin (Vol. XXXX No. 12).

The report has been reproduced below with permission for readers of The Truth.

PUCL’s Inquiry Report On Hathras Incident

A 19 year old girl, daughter of a landless-poor peasant, belonging to Scheduled Caste (Valmiki) of village Boolgarhi in Chandpa police station of Baghana Gram Panchayat of Hathras, District Mahamaya Nagar (Aligarh Division) of Uttar Pradesh was gang raped on September 14, 2020.  Two weeks later, the victim died at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi at around 5 am on September 29. A case has been registered against four named accused under the relevant provisions of IPC and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Presently, the case is under CBI investigation under the supervision of the Allahabad High Court. Apart from this case UP government has registered other cases against those persons belonging public protests against the role of police and government in this case. Amongst these cases, One case is against four persons who have been charged with hatching conspiracy for tarnishing the image of the government and creating a big riot in the state. These alleged accused are presently languishing in Mathura jail. They have also been charged with   hatching a conspiracy to incite riot, treason, conduct anti-national activities with foreign funding. These cases are being investigated by the Special Task Force (STF) under the state government, separate from the purview of the CBI investigation.

There are prima facie evidence and statements of family members of deceased about the negligence and conspiratorial role of police and administrative officers, burning the dead body of the deceased to Tamper with the evidence, depriving funeral rituals and customs , threatening to kill the family of the deceased by police firing, character assassination of the deceased. These are offenses under Section 4 (1) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act 1989 on which case against the concerned officers must be registered. Despite this, cognizance is not being taken on them. There is one another major allegation of the complainant that negligence has been done in the treatment of the deceased and her death has occurred in suspicious circumstances. He alleged a big conspiracy to erase the evidence of the case, in which police-administration and politicians have been colluding with accused.

Many facts related to this case of gang rape and murder have come to light through social activist teams and media reports. However, the family members of the deceased had expressed their distrust of the UP government and the investigating agencies including the CBI, demanding the case to be transferred out of the state and investigation and protection by a team constituted by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has resolved the CBI investigation under the supervision of the High Court. The High Court after consideration of the petition of the complainant instructed fair, impartial and reliable investigation. For protection of the relatives of deceased Central Reserve Police Force has been posted and complainant’s prayer of transfer of the case outside the state could be considered after conclusion of inquiry.

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh had claimed that under the guise of the Hathras case, several organizations are conspiring to spread ethnic violence in Uttar Pradesh. On similar charges, journalist Siddique Kappan of Malappuram, Atiq-ur Rehman of Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmed of Bahraich and Alam of Rampur are arrested and lodged in Mathura jail under serious sections of the penal code. They are accused of conspiring to incite riots, treason, conducting anti national activities with foreign funding. The government alleged that all four are members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI). According to state Government, Popular Front of India (PFI) is a militant Islamic organization, Campus Front of India (CFI) is its student organization of PFI. These organisations were blamed by the UP government for the violence during the Shaheen Bagh movement against the Citizenship Law (CAA). Apart from this, one more case has been registered against the Congress leader Shyouraj Jeevan for making inflammatory statements in the police station. Both cases are now being investigated by special task force (STF) under UP govt.

More than a dozen cases have been filed in several districts of the state on those who were protesting against the role of police and government in the Hathras incident. In this process Separate cases were filed against Bhim Army President Chandra Shekhar Azad, BJP leader former MLA Rajvir Singh Pehalwan, Congress District President Chandragupta Vikramaditya, Savarna Parishad national campaigner Pankaj Dhavaraiah. There is a general discussion that the government can also increase the scope of investigation of STF in these cases. There are also allegations of police and administration creating atmosphere of fear and terror among citizens and suppressing civil rights.

PUCL Inquiry

Uttar Pradesh PUCL team members Manish Sinha, Seema Azad, Alok, Vidushi, Siddhant Raj, Shashikant, KB Maurya, Tauheed, KM Bhai and Kamal Singh visited Hathras on 4 October 2020 in sequence of directives issued by High Court to CBI and  in the background  of CBI investigation civil investigation , PUCL has conducted a civil investigation. In order to make it easy to understand, a brief description of the facts related to the incident is compiled and the socio – economic background   has been given in which the heinous act was executed. This would also be helpful to point out the weaknesses of the ongoing investigation.

This PUCL team reached Boolgarhi on 4 November mid-afternoon. There was silence in the village. On entering Boolgarhi, we saw a house surrounded by the gunmen of the CRPF. 0ne of them posted on the roof of the house was staring at us with a gun in his hand. There were four or six jawans in front of the home of aggrieved party. As soon as we got out of the car, a fellow relating to the local intelligence unit  met us with a register . He noted  down names and addresses of all of us. Before entering there was a shambled (ruined) courtyard in front of victim’s   home, where CRPF personnel interrogated us and entered the names, addresses, mobile numbers etc. in a register. They saw our identity cards and took photos. We passed through the metal detector and reached the deceased’s home. Around sixty years of age, ripe hair, a cultured gentleman looked at us with sadeyes  questions. He was the father of the deceased. We introduced ourselves and explained our purpose of coming, sharing their sorrow we expressed condolence. We told him that we are here to enquire the case on behalf of citizens inquiry and to render, whatever assistance you require . He invited us to come into his house . Theirs  was a two room  house with paved walls and paved ceilings, had  mud floors. We sat on a takhat and three chaarpai in the  courtyard, smeared with cowdung,  of the house. We all took  water as we were feeling somewhat thirsty. We started our investigation between the security personnel deployed on the terrace staring  into the CC TV camera on the roof wall. Apart from the father of the deceased  both the elder brothers and , one Bhabhi, a sister and mother of the deceased in veil were present. There was also something in what he told about the incident, which has not been revealed in the media so far. When asked about the security, they said, “Since CRPF personnel are here, there is relief. Earlier , we were extremely scared when state the police-PAC people were deployed. They used to eat and drink in Thakurs (accused) house, establishing  relations with them. Their  attitude towards us was disrespectful and the pressure of the administration officials was  of  bullying kind. ”  So now is  every thing is all right? we asked. The  father of the deceased replied, “How long will the CRPF stay here! We have lost our daughter, now I am worried about my two son’s lives. There are houses of Thakurs all around us. There are a total four family of the valmiki caste (society). Earlier (about 19 years ago) there was a mortal attack on my father(the deceased’s late grand father) by these people (belonging to the accused family), he could barely survive. He  was hit by a scythe on the neck, to  survive he  had to get stitches on his head  The case went on, but with the passage of time, taking advantage of the pressure, terror, temptation and compulsions, the affidavits from the  witness were made and they got hostile. In the end we too gave up.” He was bitter about his experience , while  seeking justice from the court. It was betrayal  , the police-administration, accused nexus was domineering   and threatening .  “Now My only worry is for the life of my remaining children”. He exclaimed in a weeping, despondent, frightened voice. My  daughter’s was perhaps , destined to meet this fate . We  clean the drain and the dirt. Our daughter too has fallen prey to the same mess. Now these two children have to save their lives. That’s what I tell them to settle somewhere else.

“We were speechless. Neither of us had the courage to give assurance. It definitely said that injustice has been done to you and there are many people with you in the country. It is a fact that most people, including the head of the village panchayat, are in favor of Thakurs. It cannot be denied that there is  reasonable  doubt that under such social environment and the administrative hostility , victim’s family can at all be protected . This ground reality of Indian democracy cannot be denied. Only strong democratic movement in the area could protect  the family and stop such type of  crime .  We asked  what has happened to the government assurance a job will be given to a family member . It was said in response, “Nothing has happened so far”,  however  25 lakh rupees have  come in the bank account”.

Boolgarhi Village Of Hathras

Boolgarhi village, located about 12 km from Hathras headquarters is one Majra(sub village) of Bhagana village.. Its population is near about 500. It has about 66 houses. Here the Thakur caste is predominant. Apart from Brahmins, Banias, there is also a family of Nai and Prajapati caste people. The father of the deceased told that the victim’s family did not have any ancestral land. They were living by rearing Pig, goat, buffalo and other cattle and working in the fields belonging  Thakurs.’ There was an almost bonded labor situation. In 1997, under the government scheme, he got a lease of five bighas of agricultural land. The Thakurs had a greedy eye on the land. It was the same period when the attack on the life of deceased’s grandfather  by the Thakurs of the accused family took place . The four brothers in the accused family together own more than about 60-70 bighas of land. This is a domineering family of the village. It has  dispute with other Thakur families of the village, which has led to many cases. The behavior of the accuse is not good. They also take drugs.

The father of the deceased told that apart from farming with the family and taking care of seven cattle, including buffalo, he works partially as a safai karmchari in a school nearby. Both brothers of the deceased got education upto  intermediate (12th)classes. The eldest of these brothers has also learned mobile repairing work. He is employed with MCM Mobile Company in Noida. Second brother is employed in  Dr. Lal Path Labs in Noida. At the time of the incident, the eldest  brother was in the village and the other one was  in Noida. On receiving the news , this second brother immediately returned from Noida. He was in the hospital with his mother in looking after his sister. The deceased also studied till the primary school in the village. After this, the study could not continue further. Asked the reason for the ‘drop out’ he said, “There is no school in the village. The schools that are nearby are at a distance of one and a half or  two kilometers”. After this, he said in a low voice, “Education is not easy in our Valmiki society. There is a lot of discrimination. There are many problems and fear of sending girls away. This is the reason why there is not much attention given to the education of girls in our society. when asked, he also told that there is a separate cremation in the village for our caste. People of other castes do not perform cremation there. The problem of untouchability still exists. Even local BJP MLA was from Valmiki caste. Now he is MP from this lok sabha constituency. When he visits Thakurs’ house, he  takes his glass  with him for drinking water. There he does not sit on the chair He sits on the ground and take his own duree with him to sit .

Both Hathras Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha are reserved for Scheduled Castes. The main competition here is between the BSP and the BJP. BSP has its base mainly amongst the jatavs . Since the time of Kalyan Singh(BJP stalwart), there has been an alliance between Ati pichhada, and Maha Dalit castes with upper castes. In both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, the representative of Maha Dalit Valmiki caste  wins on the BJP ticket. Actually, Valmiki caste in West Uttar Pradesh has a significant vote bank. Earlier, they were Congress supporters, now Valmiki caste  is with BJP. The entire family of the deceased voted for the BJP.

Details Of Incident

• According to the FIR Cr. No. 0136 lodged at Chandpa police station, the incident was registered on September 14, 2020, around 9.30 am, under Section 307 Indian Penal Code and under Section 3(2) (v)Scheduled Castes / Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Victim’s statement U/S 164 (now dying declaration) recorded before  the Magistrate dated September 22, 2020.  Investigation officer (IO) Brahma Singh recorded the statement of victim U/S 161 CrPC  section 376 D of IPC (group rape) has been added. Along with accused Sandeep (18 years)Three more Lavkush (19 years), Ravi (28 years) and Ramsingh (30 years) have been named by the victim as accused. Lavkush and Sandeep are friends and the other two accused are in relation to the family of accused Sandeep. All the accused belong to the Thakur caste. The victim died on September 29, 2020, morning (around 5 am) at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.   Only a day before the  deceased was referred here for treatment from Jawaharlal Nehru  Medical College, Aligarh, . The local BJP MP says that he had tried for it. The plaintiff side says that she was recovering in Aligarh, they saw a conspiracy in sending her to Delhi.
• The details of the incident: The victim along with her mother was collecting grass and fodder for animals in the field where Millet crop stood. There was a gap between the two. After some time, the mother, not finding the girl, thought that she must have gone home to take water. On the way home, she saw the girl’s slippers in the field. When she looked for the girl, she found that she was injured and lying  in the middle of the standing crop in the field and was semi- naked. Her throat was strangled, her hands and legs were not working, her eyes were red and bloody, the tongue was clenched between the teeth and it was scarred. She was unable to speak. The mother shouted. With elder son mother and victim, somehow reached the nearest police station Chandpa by motorcycle within half an hour of the incident . There was a platform at police station where victim was laid down. The eldest son wrote the first information of the incident in a few lines. Contrary  to it ,according to tahreer the Head Muharrir narrated the information  and Constable Munesh Kumar  typed it. Complainant also said the copy of the FIR was not given to him. Though it is mandatory . The informant also said the police behavior was not proper. Police alleged  that the girl is only acting  and  were told that  the way  you  have come by bike with victim, take her to the hospital also. Later, the victim was sent on a tempo  with two lady police  personnel  to the Bagla Joint District Hospital, Hathras.  After preliminary investigation and first aid, the victim was sent to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMC), Aligarh. These two lady police constable returned from the Bagla Joint District Hospital to the police station, they did not accompany  the victim to Aligarh Hospital. Only mother and brother were  with her.

Victim’s Statement Before Magistrate

• The victim was admitted to the General Ward of JNMC Hospital on 14 September. She was seriously injured, tongue was bruised  and swollen. She was not in a position to make a statement. There was bleeding in the eyes due to strangulation; severe injuries in  the neck and back, she was not able to breathe properly, the entire body below the neck was almost paralyzed (Quadriplegia) due to a spinal cord injury. According to a letter written by CMD of JNMC Hospital Neurosurgery Department to CMO, the victim’s condition was very critical. She was referred to the Department of Neurosurgery, Forensic, Ophthalmology, Obstetrics and Gynecology for medical treatment and transferred to the Department of Intensive care.
• There is a big difference in the statements of the complainant and the investigating agencies This point is necessary for a CBI inquiry under the supervision of High Court. The complainant, the second brother of the deceased and the mother of the deceased told to PUCL team that the condition of the victim was recovering in JNMC Hospital’ Aligarh. She  had started talking . The doctors also gave permission to take tea and biscuits. She named the four accused and told all about the incident. The complainant went to office of Hathras,  Superintendent of Police on September 19 and gave written application informing about the names of the four accused and the gang rape as narrated by victim. The complainant’s application was kept in the SP office and verbal assurance was given that the investigation would be done accordingly. The acknowledgment of receiving complainant’s application and copy was not given to him.
• As victim was capable to give statement the Head of Department of Neurosurgery’ JLN Medical College, Aligarh MF Hooda wrote for recording her statement before magistrate. In such type of cases it is essential responsibility of the doter. Thus, on September 22, the victim’s statements were recorded before the magistrate (Now his statement is a dying declaration of the victim). After that Investigating  officer CO Sadabad Brahm Singh also recorded victim’s statement under section Section 161 CrPC. On the basis of this statement, the charges under 307, 325 Indian Penal Code  changes and the charge of 376D (gang rape) added. The name of Lavkush, Ravi and Ramsingh joined with Sandeep as accused based on the victim’s statement.
• Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was already in FIR. After the death of the victim on 29 September’2020, Section 307 has been amended and Section 302 IPC has  been added.

MLC Report And Forensic Investigation

• On September 22, 2020 at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, Aligarh,  According to the details recorded in the medical examination (Medico-Legal Examination Report – MLC) by Dr. Faiz Ahmed. The use of force on the vaginal orifice and complete penis penetration has been confirmed by the report. Report also recorded the victim was gagged with her dupattaa  and threatened with murder  during the incident and names of the four accused persons mentioned. The report mentioned  gang rape as well.   For forensic examination the specimen was sent to Agra to examine sperm (semen) in the vagina. (MLC Report and Forensic Investigation Report Annexure-1 & Annexure-2)
• Forensic examination report did not find  any traces of sperm in vaginal cleaning. The test for forensic investigation was carried out on September 22, eight days after the incident. Its report came on September 25, after 11 days of the incident. Samples should be taken within 72 hours of the incident for forensic examination in rape cases, sperm does not survive after 90 hours.

Role Of Police And Administration

There are also many questions  in this case about the role of police and administrative officers. According to the statements of the aggrieved   party, charges have to be made against the police and administrative officers under Section 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, for negligence  of  duty, coercive measures, intimidation ,bullying the witnesses and tampering of evidence.

• SHO Chandpa has been removed from the police station and sent to the police line, which is considered a kind of punishment. District Superintendent of Police Vikrant Vir has been suspended. The role of the Collector is also under question, even the High Court has asked about the role of the Collector. Apart from the departmental inquiry, no FIR or case has been filed against the police and officers in relation to the allegations.
• Most objectionable role of police and administration is their statements in which the police officers denied rape. Instead of discharging their duty of  investigating the case, the SHO made such statements that in the FIR the brother of the victim did not say anything  about the rape. Although even at that time the victim was saying that Zabardasti has been done with her . which in common parlance is considered rape . The Superintendent of Police also gave a statement to the press that the incident was not of rape, while the MLC report indicated traces of coercion on the genitals and complete penetration forcefully done . Even the statements of the Superintendent of Police regarding the forensic report are a matter of criticism. Additional Director General Prashant Kumar (Law and Order) has denied the rape citing the forensic report absence of sperm in the vaginal swab and the cause of death of the victim due to neck injury according the postmortem report. When the prosecution agency  is conducting itself in such a manner, then , how much hope for justice of  remains!
• Despite being named FIR, accused Sandeep was allowed to roam about freely  till September 19 and there was no effort to investigating complaint. The clothes the victim wearing at the time of the incident were not taken for evidence. Two lady constable who had gone with the victim, to the district joint hospital were also recalled. No one was  sent to  Aligarh JLNM Hospital where the victim was  referred  to for treatment, no arrangements were made to escort her or to provide police protection.
• The deceased’s face was shown only at the time of the father’s permission for the post postmortem. After that, no family was allowed to see the deceased.
• Father and family members of victim was informed about the death on September 29 at 5 am. The post postmortem was done by 11 am. Father and other family members sat in Safdar Ganj Hospital waiting till late night to take the dead body. He was not even allowed to see the dead body. Even the media was not allowed to get a glimpse of the corpse. In the middle of the night, the police forced the father and family members into a police van and brought them Boolgarhi. The corpse was in another vehicle. Victim’s father and brother were  not told about it . A police force was stationed at the crematorium in the village. Father and brother were asked to visit the crematorium to burn the dead body. The father and brother refused and asked to take the dead body home and perform the last rites according their belief  and customs in day only after the last darshan.
• The family members of deceased stated , “There were around 50-60 people from the family and fraternity in the village, most of them were women. No one was  allowed to see the deceased despite pleading pathetically again and again. The women were pushed away. Even women were pushed onto the barbed wire of the field. Threatened to shoot. “In this way, the corpse was burnt by the police itself using force contrary to the wishes of the family. Who wanted  funeral according to tradition and rituals.
• The brother of the deceased says that the first crime with his sister is rape and murder, the second crime is to burn her  without funeral. This is the second crime committed by police-administrative officers.
• According to the complainant, with the caste biased derogatory scolding, the District Magistrate said, “If your daughter would have died in corona (COVID-19), would you get compensation?” … “The media will leave, we will stay here!  The question is “Whether we should  take compensation or not!”
• After the demise for  several days the victim’s family remain almost under the conditions of house arrest though illegally . There was a ban on meeting anyone from the victim’s family and a tremendous police cordon was set up. Even press, media channel, social activists, civil society and political persons were not allowed to meet victim family.

Story Of Love Affair: Character Assassination Of The Deceased

• The accused Sandeep wrote a letter from jail on 7 October addressed to Hathras Superintendent of Police which was immediately leaked to the media. The letter has thumb prints of all four accused including Sandeep.  In the letter of accused Sandeep and others pleaded their innocence. Sandeep claimed he was friend of the deceased. He wrote, “I had a friendship with her. We used to meet and sometimes talked on phone. Her family didn’t like our friendship. In this letter accepting his presence he said’ ” On the day of occurrence I met her, her mother and one brother was also with her. At the behest of them, I immediately returned  back to  my house , joined my father who was feeding animals. I later came to know from the villagers that due to friendly relations between us she was badly beaten by her mother and brother, causing such severe injuries that at last she died. I never beat her or did anything wrong with her.” Investigating agencies supplied this letter to the media and Spicy contents mixed with it. Thus a concocted story prepared for womanizers and persons started indulging sexy gossip. Media published reports quoted investigative agencies that there were 104 calls between cell phone numbers belonging accused Sandeep and the brother of the deceased. The period of these calls was of six months; from 13 October 2019 to March 2020. total duration was approximate 5 hours. Out of these, 62 calls were made by Sandeep. Citing sources from the investigating agencies media reported according call detail report (CDR) in these calls about 60 calls were at night. While giving it color, it was concocted that though the cell phone belongs brother of the deceased but through his wife (Bhabhi of the deceased) accused Sandeep and the deceased used to talk in secret.
• The complainant family says that there is only one mobile in the house. This belongs to the brother of the victim. The mobile number is linked to the NREGA. By adding the time of some periods of six months, it is being presented in such a way that it was used for confidential talks between the accused and the deceased. The Bhabhi of victim’s said that her nanad (sister of husband) had told a few days before the incident that the accused Sandeep used to tease her. She try to avoid getting out of the house alone due to this. The accused are lustful and drugged type crooks. Sandeep had a ill intention towards the deceased.
• The family concerned said that even the investigation conducted by CBI is not trustworthy. According to them, instead of conducting investigation based on concrete evidence, CBI asking such dubious questions as purpose to fabricating evidence and somehow confirm concocted stories of “love affair” and “Honor killing”.
• Investigation agencies and now CBI, has visited place of occurrence so many times, the crime scene is being watched by recreating repeatedly. The complainants say, “Our relatives, the families in which the daughters are married and their families, the people in the village and area are being questioned about the relationship of the accused and the deceased and about the character of the deceased.” During all this it is necessary that the CBI should not attempt to break the morale of the complainant, to frustrate them and to confuse the direction of the investigation for seeking truth.
• In the team of PUCL investigation, many citizens say that rumor and false propaganda about the character of the deceased is being carried out in favor of the accused by the administration and upper caste bullies. A section of the media, in which the upper caste elements dominate, is directly or indirectly playing a supporting role in such propaganda and spreading rumors. There are efforts the direction of investigation turned towards the honor killing pointing complainants as culprit.  And thus by terrorizing and demoralizing Complainants could be silenced.

Findings Of Civil Inquiry

• Apart from the protection of the complainant, arrangements should be made for rehabilitation of the deceased family from the Nirbhaya Fund.
• The promise of government service to a member of the family of the decease should be fulfilled immediately.
• To stop rumors State Government and CBI should be directed so that no one could tarnish the character of the deceased and such type act be treated as a crime.
• In this case those officers who were negligent in their duty, criminal proceedings must be started against them.
• District Magistrate and other higher officials who have stated before press that the victim was not raped their act should be taken as an intervention in investigation and be prosecuted. Only departmental action against them is not sufficient.
• In connection with Hathras gang rape case, other cases including the case for conspiring riot, tarnishing government image, the case of sedition in which four  alleged accused are in jail, and which  is presently being  investigated  by STF, must be investigated by CBI  under supervision of higher court.
• The law and order situation in Utter Pradesh is much worse. Communal polarization, Dalit oppression and women oppression is in extreme. The RSS and Hindutva organizations are running parallel power. Bureaucracy is confused due to it. There is no rule of law. Officers behave arbitrary and in autocratic manner. Government officials have failed to perform their duty because they are busy to appease the government and Hindutva goons. After this mass rape incident of Hathras, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cannot mislead facts by concocted stories of conspiracy, spread public outrage and the conspiracy to spread caste riots. The hallmark of truth can be seen from the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau:
  • Uttar Pradesh has been at the forefront of crime cases in 2018. In 2018, Uttar Pradesh had 59,445 cases of crime against women (of all kinds), compared to 57,011 in 2017 and 49,262 in 2016. Of these, Uttar Pradesh recorded 3,946 cases of sexual violence and rape in 2018. Meaning that 11 rape cases are filed every day in the state.
  • The UP government has also not been able to spend the budget received in the year 2013 to 2019 under the Nirbhaya Fund.  Of 324.8 crore received by   Uttar Pradesh, only Rs.  216.75 crore was utilised, which is only about 65 percent of the entire budget. Like Uttar Pradesh, other states also failed to spend the Nirbhaya Fund. The fund provides financial assistance and rehabilitation to rape victims.
  • Uttar Pradesh is at the forefront of Dalit oppression related abuses. A total of 45,935 cases of crime against people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC, ST) community were registered in India during 2019, of which 11,829 cases have been registered in Uttar Pradesh alone. This number is 25.8 percent of the total cases in the country, which is the highest.

After this fact, the use of NSA  or oppressive measures against the agitated people in protest against the law and order situation in the state and the conspiracy by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath to spoil the image of the government in the state and to cause caste riots in fact. Govt suppression of civil rights and is working against the democratic principles.

[Originally published in The Truth: Platform for Radical Voices of The Working Class (Issue 8 / December 2020)]