JIND: Various social organizations in Jind, Bhiwani and Rohtak held staged a protest demanding the arrest of BJP state president Mohan Lal Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal in the alleged gang rape case. Protestors submitted a memorandum to officials quoting the governor and sought arrest and strict action against both. The protest was supported by social organizations, women’s committee, CITU, and the retired employee’s union and others.
Addressing the protest, CITU leader Comrade Kapoor Singh and women’s committee district president of Jind district Nootan stated that BJP president and singer Rocky Mittal were named in a serious FIR filed by Himachal Police over allegations of gang-raping a young woman in a hotel in Kasauli over a month and a half ago. However, despite the FIR being filed 45 days ago, the BJP had neither expelled the accused from the party nor had the police arrested them. As soon as the matter came to light through the media, witnesses were made to give interviews, while legal proceedings should have been followed instead of media trials. Previously, similar attempts were made to deny allegations of sexual violence against former Sports Minister Sandeep Singh and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and to malign the victims. This entire incident raises serious questions about women’s safety under BJP rule, they added.
In Bhiwani, opposition parties and social outfits staged a protest by burning effigies of BJP state president Mohanlal Badowli and singer Rocky Mittal, demanding a fair and impartial investigation into the serious rape allegations against them. The protestors, including leaders from various opposition groups, raised slogans and called for justice for the victim.
The protest was fuelled by the allegations that Badoli and Mittal were involved in a gang-rape incident that occurred in Himachal Pradesh. The demonstrators criticized the BJP for its alleged inaction on the matter, demanding that the accused be arrested so that a transparent investigation takes place. The protestors also expressed concern about the safety of women under the current political regime, highlighting a pattern of neglect in addressing such serious issues.
The protesters also called for action against the accused, stressing that the law should take its course without any political interference or influence. The protest ended with a demand for a swift and just legal process to ensure the protection of women and uphold justice.
