Priyanka Gandhi demands to register rape case against Chinmayanand

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged on Wednesday that rape accused were being protected in Uttar Pradesh and demanded to the lodge a rape case against BJP leader and former Union minister Chinmayanand.

"Atrocities are being committed against women, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Rapists are being protected. It is our demand that in the Shahjahanpur incident, a rape case should be registered against the accused," the Congress general secretary in-charge of east UP said on the sidelines of a party march here to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

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Priyanka Gandhi had expressed displeasure on Monday over Congressmen being stopped from taking out a "nyay yatra" (march for justice) in support of the law student who has accused Chinmayanand of rape.

"The UP BJP government wants to suppress the voice seeking justice for the daughter of Shahjahanpur. The padayatra is being stopped. Our workers and leaders are being arrested. What is there to be afraid of?," she had said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress workers arrested

About 80 Congress workers were arrested on Monday at a public meeting ahead of the planned march in Shahjahanpur in support of the law student. Former Union minister Jitin Prasada was stopped from leaving his Shahjahanpur residence for the march and placed under house arrest, while the borders of the district were blocked from all sides. 

Priyanka alleged that criminals in Uttar Pradesh have the protection of the government so that they can intimidate a rape victim. "The UP BJP government wants to suppress the voice seeking justice for the daughter of Shahjahanpur. The padyatra is being stopped. Our workers and leaders are being arrested. What is there to be afraid of?" the Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh said in a tweet in Hindi. Priyanka Gandhi has been repeatedly targeting the Yogi Adityanath government over law and order and other issues.

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Chinmayanand rape case

After getting discharged from Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, former Union minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand had visited the King George's Medical University (KGMU) complaining of an eye problem but was not admitted, officials said on Tuesday. 

Chinmayanand, against whom a law student had leveled rape charges, was attended by doctors at the KGMU and was called for a checkup on October 16, officials said. 

"Chinmayanand had reached KGMU on Monday night complaining of a problem in the eye. He was attended to and was called for a checkup on Oct 16," KGMU media in-charge Dr. Sandeep Kumar said.

According to sources, Chinmayanand wanted to get admitted to the KGMU but was called later. He reached the Shahjahanpur district jail at 2.30 am. Kumar declined to comment when asked about Chinmayanand's attempt to get himself admitted in the KGMU.

(With PTI inputs)