After one Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader held a rally in support of the accused in the Hathras case and another leader said rapes will stop if parents teach their daughters ‘proper values’, a third leader of the saffron party has maligned the victim’s character, describing her as ‘awaara‘ (wayward).
Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava, a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki, claimed that the 19-year-old woman was having an affair with the accused and called him to the millet field where she was found on September 14.
Srivastava released a video (in Hindi language) on his Facebook page, stating that the accused and the victim were having an affair. “This news is already out on social media and news channels. She must have gotten caught,” he said, according to a translation by India Today.
“Such girls are found dead in only some places. They will be found dead in sugarcane, corn, and millet fields or in bushes, gutters or forests. Why are they never found dead in paddy or wheat fields?” he asks, implying that the victim was killed by her family because they discovered the ‘affair’.
Srivastava also defended the four accused, saying they should be released until a charge sheet is filed in the case. “I can say with guarantee these boys are innocent. If they are not released in time, they will keep facing mental harassment. Who will return their lost youth? Will the government give them compensation?” the BJP leader said.
Taking note of the BJP leader’s comments, National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma said on Twitter, “He is not fit to be called the leader of any party. He is showing his primitive and sick mindset and I am going to send a notice to him.”
It should be noted that Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava has made communal statements in the past as well. There are around 44 criminal cases registered against him.