The Congress on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of targeting Muslim and Dalit women who spoke out against the establishment, citing cases of student protester Nishu Azad, Muslim journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan, and Delhi University student Akriti Chaudhary.
“The BJP and [its ideological fount] RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] are anti-women. They are anti-Dalit and anti-Muslim women…and they themselves do not come forward. They have kept henchmen and goons. Bhardwaj claimed in a podcast that a phone call from the Delhi BJP minister Kapil Mishra helped him avoid jail. She alleged that despite Bhardwaj using caste-related language against Azad and her family, no action had been taken under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act or SCT/ST Act.
Their nurtured henchmen and goons are carrying out such acts so that these people are not directly involved,” said Congress leader Alka Lamba.
Lamba said Kumar suffered a serious head injury, yet no case was lodged against Bhardwaj.
“A daughter from the Dalit community, whom this person [Bhardwaj] is insulting by calling her a ‘neela kabootar’ using a caste-indicating term. “So somewhere parents also become afraid and stop their children, saying ‘do not raise your voice, do not go anywhere to any protest’. Lamba spoke about journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan from 4PM News Network, who were allegedly detained and assaulted while covering an event of Union home minister Amit Shah and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta at a private hospital in Saket on September 3. She said that the journalists had gone to the event to question Shah and Gupta about the death of a 15-year-old reportedly undergoing treatment at AIIMS and the rape of a minor on a private bus.
Under the Constitution, for the use of such casteist words, an immediate FIR [first information report] and arrest are warranted under the SC/ST Act, which the police are not doing,” she said. Lamba said instead the two women were allegedly arrested and physically assaulted, with the treatment worsening once the police became aware they were Muslim. Lamba said that by making them an example, the other women showing courage are being frightened. Lamba said Congress will support all women facing what she described as political intimidation.
