Rape threats: Cong condemns action against UP leader who slapped BJP worker

Varanasi (UP), Oct 26 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday slammed the action taken against an IYC leader and her family who allegedly thrashed a BJP worker here over "rape threats" issued by him on social media.

"What kind of justice is this, where the victim is being harassed?" Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said in a post in Hindi on X.

Framing the actions of Varanasi-based Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leader Roshni Kushal Jaiswal as necessary retaliation against threats to her safety, Srinate questioned the decision to jail her husband and brother, and attach her property.

Following Jaiswal and her family's altercation with BJP worker Rajesh Singh on September 15, the latter's wife filed a police complaint over the alleged assault.

Responding to Srinate's charges, the BJP said law treats everyone equally and no one had the right to take the law into their hands. Singh's sounsel, meanwhile said the property was attached following a court order in view of her absence from the proceedings.

In her post on X, Srinate said, "Whenever she wrote something on social media, a cruel BJP member threatened her with rape. She raised her voice against Saffron Rajesh Singh - is this a crime? Is it wrong to fight for your rights and security?" "For the last 40 days, Roshni's husband, brother and 5 other people are in jail, an order has been issued to attach Roshni's house," the Congress spokesperson said.

Srinate added Jaiswal is living a life of anonymity with her one child since the incident. "Does the police administration want a woman to silently bear the threat of rape?" she said sharing a video of Jaiswal, in which she recounted her experience of facing online threats and the subsequent action by authorities in the case.

In the video, Jaiswal said, "I am the same Roshni Kushal Jaiswal who slapped Rajesh Singh, a BJP supporter, who had threatened to rape me on September 15." After this, a case was registered against her under several sections, including 307, due to which she have been absconding for 40 days, her husband and brother have been in jail and a court has ordered her property to be attached, she said.

"Was it so wrong to slap the person who threatened to rape that my family was destroyed?" she said in the video.

"I want to request every woman with folded hands that if you are facing rape threats, do not raise your voice. Tell your husband and family members to wear bangles. If they raise their voice, they will go to jail," Jaiswal said.

Countering Srinate's claims, state BJP spokesperson Harischandra Srivastava said she should look at the facts before making public statements. He said in the Yogi Adityanath administration, the law treats everyone equally and that no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands.

Vivek Shankar Tiwari, Singh's counsel, said that Jaiswal and her supporters had attacked the BJP worker outside his home, leading to an FIR filed by his wife, Anu. The ongoing legal proceedings have resulted in a court order to attach Jaiswal's property due to her absence in court, he said.

Congress's city unit president Raghavendra Choubey criticised the actions by the authorities, alleging bias and unjust treatment towards Jaiswal. The Congress party would seek justice and escalate the issue to the chief minister if necessary, Choubey said. PTI