SP, Cong, AAP slam UP govt over Balrampur gang-rape
Their attack on the government came even as the Balrampur police arrested two suspects following an encounter in the early hours of Wednesday, two days after the alleged incident.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X, called the crime 'extremely heinous' and questioned the Adityanath-led government's claims on maintaining law and order.
'Will those making such claims be able to look the public in the eye and say something in this matter?' he asked. He demanded every possible relief, assistance, and medical care for the survivour, and said the culprits should be given the strictest punishment without any 'fake encounter show'.
The Uttar Pradesh Congress, in a post on X, alleged that the accused abandoned the survivor in an unconscious state barely 20 metres from a police outpost after the gangrape.
'In CCTV footage from outside the SP's residence, it is clearly visible that the survivor was running to save herself while 5''6 men on bikes were chasing her,' it claimed.
'Yogi ji, this is the reality of your women's safety claims. If daughters are not safe near police stations and the SP's residence, imagine the reality in the rest of the state.' The party accused the government of being 'shameless and incompetent' and said criminals were acting with impunity.
In the harrowing 16-second CCTV footage, the woman, seemingly barefoot, was seen running on a dimly lit deserted road and men chasing her on motorcycles.
The Aam Aadmi Party also criticised the state administration, alleging that the incident shows that 'daughters are not safe in Yogi ji's rule.'
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The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Why DMK's handling of Chennai sanitation workers' protest is causing strain in ruling alliance
The sanitation workers' protests began about 15 days ago, with hundreds of contract workers staging a sit-in outside the Greater Chennai Corporation office demanding full-time employment with the corporation instead of work allocated through private contractors. What began as a sanitation workers' agitation against the Greater Chennai Corporation's move to privatise waste management in two zones escalated into a political war of words, bringing focus back to friction between the DMK and its allies. Chennai: The ongoing sanitation workers' protest and the midnight arrests of over 300 protesters in Chennai earlier this week has become yet another sticking point within the ruling DMK-led coalition in Tamil Nadu, with allies the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI, and CPI(M) worried about how it could dent the government's image. Images of sanitation workers being dragged away by the police and detained in different locations across the city sparked an outrage among rights activists and DMK allies. While VCK leaders openly criticised the Greater Chennai Corporation and Greater Chennai police's handling of the protest, CPI and CPI(M) announced a protest condemning the DMK government over the midnight arrests. Speaking to ThePrint, VCK deputy general secretary Vanniyarasu said the way police dealt with protesting workers was unacceptable. 'That is not the way the police should act against oppressed people. They should have treated them well and the Chennai corporation should have held talks with the workers to solve it amicably,' Vanniyarasu said. Similarly, the CPI(M) also condemned the police action and demanded that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin intervene in the matter. Speaking to ThePrint, CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam criticised the administration's handling of the situation. 'They speak of social justice governance. If the working class, especially Dalits are not included in it, then it is not real social justice governance. The Chief Minister should resolve the issue and make the protesting sanitation workers permanent employees. That's their demand and it should be resolved,' he said. While the CPI(M) held a huge protest in Egmore condemning the midnight arrests, CPI's student wing held a protest near Nandanam college in the city. Similarly, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai also demanded the intervention of the chief minister, but didn't condemn the arrests. 'It is sad that the sanitation workers were removed last night on a court order. Even if the court said so, the police should have approached them with a motherly attitude,' he said in a statement on 14 August. Although the allies condemned the police action, they stopped short of directly blaming Stalin and DMK The state government held a cabinet meeting on 14 August to discuss damage control. However, chief among the slew of initiatives they announced was free breakfast, unlikely to pacify those who are demanding permanent jobs. 'Sanitation workers across the state will be provided with breakfast by the concerned local body. It will begin from Chennai and will be extended across the state,' Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu told the media on 14 August afternoon. Also read: YouTuber says 'sanitation workers' dumped sewage in his home, points finger at TN Congress chief 'Friction in alliance will reflect among party workers' Political analysts say the friction among leaders on issues like this would percolate down to the party workers across the state, especially the allies' cadre. Political analyst N. 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Sigamani said that these incidents have left behind a simmering resentment within the allies' party workers. 'For now, the sanitation workers issue is in front of the DMK-led alliance. Although DMK allies continue to voice discontent within the safe boundaries of coalition politics, the true cost of this friction will be known only when the elections are closer,' Sigamani told ThePrint. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Trash piles up across Chennai areas as sanitation workers protest privatisation move
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
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The Hindu
2 hours ago
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UDF demands CM's resignation after court accuses political executive of subverting anti-corruption probe against ADGP
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