Rape threats: Congress alleges Uttar Pradesh of targeting woman Youth Congress leader after she slapped BJP worker

Congress leaders Alka Lamba and Vinesh Phogat during a press conference at the AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, on October 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

“The Uttar Pradesh Police and Government is targeting a woman Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leader and her family after she slapped a BJP worker over alleged “rape threats” issued by him,” the Congress alleged on Monday (October 28, 2024.)

Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba, addressing a press conference along with Haryana MLA and Congress leader Vinesh Phogat, asserted that the party will take the fight to a logical conclusion.

Sharing details of the issue, Ms. Lamba said Varanasi-based IYC leader Roshni Kushal Jaiswal went to the house of the BJP worker Rajesh Singh, slapped him twice after the police did not take action against Mr. Singh for issuing rape threats issued against her on social media.

Ms. Lamba said the IYC leader’s husband and brother, along with five members of her team, have been jailed and orders to attach her property issued. Following Ms. Jaiswal and her family’s altercation with Mr. Singh on September 15, the BJP worker’s wife filed a police complaint over the alleged assault.

“We are telling you the story of Roshni Jaiswal, a daughter of Varanasi, the Parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave the slogan ‘Beti Bachao’. A man named Rajesh Singh has been following Roshni for four years and threatening to rape her,” she said.

“With no action taken against Singh despite repeated complaints, Roshni Jaiswal went to his house with her husband and brother and there was a scuffle. Roshni slapped Singh a couple of times after which her family had been put in jail,” Ms. Lamba added.

The Mahila Congress chief said that while Mr. Singh is roaming free, Ms. Jaiswal’s family is in jail and she is running from pillar to post, with her nine-year-old child and old parents, in search of justice.

Ms. Phogat said that she can assure every woman that the fight the women wrestlers and their associates began on the streets has brought her to the Legislative Assembly and she would stand by any daughter who feel something wrong is happening to her.

She said Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and a “criminal” like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh may forget about the power of the 50% population but women will fight. “We have to stand with Rohini Jaiswal and in all such cases, we will have to take this fight to a logical conclusion. The whole country is seeing the policies of the BJP, their attitude towards women, the fight is on. It will continue till Rohini Jaiswal gets justice and those who made indecent remarks against her are punished,” Ms. Phogat added.

Last week, raising the issue, Congress’ social media head, Supriya Shrinate had asked, “Does the police administration want a woman to silently bear the threat of rape?”

Countering her claims, Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Harischandra Srivastava had said that the Yogi Adityanath administration and the law treats everyone equally and that no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands.