Congress chief Rahul Gandhi led a midnight march to the India Gate here tonight to protest the Kathua and Unnao minor rape cases and said its time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to walk the talk on beti bachao (save the girl child).
Amid slogans against the BJP and the Prime Minister during the march, Gandhi said the women of the country are afraid to go out today and the government must ensure their safety.
Gandhi was joined by his sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra as also their children, besides scores of Congress leaders, party workers and others, who were seen shouting slogans, carrying candles and some even placards against the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir while demanding urgent action against the perpetrators of two heinous gangrapes — one in Unnao (UP) and the other in Kathua (J&K).
“We are here against crimes being committed against women, against rapes, violence and murder and the government must act on this. This is a national issue and not a political one,” Gandhi said at the march in the heart of the national capital.
“This is about our women. Thousands are present here including the common people and people from all parties. This situation is such today that one after another incident of murder, rape and violence is taking place in various parts of the country. We are standing here against that and we want the government to act,” he said.
Amid slogans being raised against the government at the protest march, Gandhi said the women of the country are afraid to go out today and the government must ensure their safety and help them live in peace.
On the Modi governments Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative, Gandhi said it was the right slogan and the Prime Minister must start work on Beti Bachao.
“Today, Indias women are afraid of coming out in public. Women and girls are being killed and raped. We want that the government should resolve this issue so that the Indian women can come out on the roads and live a life free of fear.