The Hathras gang-rape case has shocked the nation but sections of the media and political parties yet again have made it a political issue to settle political scores in the state. The caste-ification of rapes in a particular state and in this case Uttar Pradesh is being done rather meticulously to target CM Yogi Adityanath and in turn, cause a serious divide between sections of the society.
What is more shocking is that the liberal media is blatantly evoking the caste of the perpetrators and the victim to paint a morbid picture, whereas simultaneously ignoring similar incidents happening around the country. Amidst new angles and plain contradictions between media reports and the administration’s version of the entire incident, the liberal gang has pounced on the opportunity to go for a kill against the centre and the state, all whilst ignoring the plight of other victims in non-BJP states that have met with the same fate. The rape cases in Rajasthan have got little to no media coverage because it is a Congress state and because the caste of the victim and perpetrator doesn’t suit the political agenda.
Even in UP, cases are being given coverage by the opposition parties on the basis of the political value it brings on the table.
The Balrampur gang-rape incident where a 22-year-old Dalit woman has been raped by two men named Shahid and Sahil has seemingly been dropped in the cold-storage. According to the police report, she was raped in the backroom of a grocery store in the Gaisari village. Her sandals were found outside the room. The owner of the shop was allegedly the one who planned the crime.
हाथरस में बलात्कार के आरोपी की जाति का प्रमाण-पत्र ढूँढ के धरना देंगे, और बलरामपुर में बलात्कार के आरोपी का नाम भी मुँह से न निकल जाए – इतनी संवेदनशीलता बरतने वाले बुद्धिजीवियों, राजनेताओं को भी नमन है!
— रोहित सरदाना (@sardanarohit) October 1, 2020
Odd Day – Tracking Rajasthan Only
Even Day – Tracking Uttar Pradesh onlyDidi aisa kaise Chalega ???? pic.twitter.com/Zlr5Uz1vTI
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) October 1, 2020
The coverage of media when it comes to rape cases is solely dependent on the caste-factor. The viewer shouldn’t be fooled that the media is covering Hathras gang-rape case so that the victim and her family get justice. If that was the case then the below-mentioned cases would have got a similar coverage.
6 victims in 3 πape case reported in RAJASTHAN on 30th September
1. Three foreign tourists πaped in Jaipur.
2. Two minors gang-πaped for 3 days Ajmer
3. Tipu Sultan and his friend gang πaped a woman in Ajmer
— BALA (@erbmjha) October 1, 2020
As usual, the coverage of NDTV reeks of complete bias with the forced attempt to add the caste angle repeatedly into the case. While Hathras gang rape is being pushed through the caste angle, the Balrampur gang-rape is being swept under the carpet as the perpetrators belong to a ‘special’ community.
Ah @ndtv you never fail to disappoint. #Hathras Autopsy doesn’t mention rape but you’ve determined rape. #Balrampur also doesn’t mention rape but here it’s “alleged” right? Does the caste and religion of the perp determine the drivel you spew? https://t.co/5OVfzLMOf1 pic.twitter.com/RVjYZHdj63
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) October 1, 2020
Another struggling leftist ‘news’ portal Newslaundry which more often than not harbours particular hatred for BJP ruled states and its leaders, pandered a similar agenda like NDTV and pushed for Hathras gang rape and remained mum on the Balrampur incident.
TOI Lucknow put Hathras Dalit woman’s death on page 1 but Naxallaundry termed it “downplaying”. But Naxallaundry has no problem that Balrampur Dalit woman’s rape-murder did not even make it to TOI Lucknow’s front page but relegated to page 6 as a single column pic.twitter.com/CoN9H0eXuM
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) October 1, 2020
‘Help us get justice, please,’ Dalit girl assaulted in UP’s Hathras succumbs was the headline of one of the articles of the portal which inadvertently had to bring in the caste angle to vilify the state machinery. A customary search of their website would be enough to tell you that the leftist-portal is yet to comment on Balrampur gang-rape case.
What do you expect from a toilet paper staffed exclusively by Aaptards? If these twats are “media watchdogs” then I’m a “bharatnatyam dancer” https://t.co/WP1vYlo8a2
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) October 1, 2020
The Print’s infamous ‘reporter’ Jyoti Yadav, once again published an article where caste and hatred for CM Yogi Adityanath took the first seat and the gang rape became more of an afterthought and justice for the victim—a mere passing reference.
Part-time leader of Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with her brother Rahul Gandhi have once again leeched onto the issue to score some measly political points to ensure Congress’s survival. The Congress scion Rahul Gandhi has come out of his long hibernation where he missed an entire Monsoon session to show his fake apathy to the cause of the victim and his family. Meanwhile, both have observed a complete radio-silence on the Rajasthan rape cases.
Last year, @priyankagandhi rushed to meet family of Unnao woman who was allegedly raped & burnt even as arrests had been made & compensation announced
Same week, a Dalit woman was raped & burnt alive in Sambhal by Zeeshan. Vadra ignored it.
She is only repeating this behaviour.— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) October 1, 2020
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has gone one step ahead in politicizing the issue as today she shared a video of the father of the Hathras gang-rape victim alleging that he is being pressurized and the whole family is kept under house arrest. She claimed that the family is not satisfied by the investigation being conducted by the UP Police in the case.
हाथरस की बेटी के पिता का बयान सुनिए।
उन्हें जबरदस्ती ले जाया गया। सीएम से वीसी के नाम पर बस दबाव डाला गया। वो जांच की कार्रवाई से संतुष्ट नहीं हैं।
अभी पूरे परिवार को नजरबंद रखा है। बात करने पर मना है।
क्या धमकाकर उन्हें चुप कराना चाहती है सरकार?
अन्याय पर अन्याय हो रहा है। pic.twitter.com/6lIW1hdvDc
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 1, 2020
In the video shared by her, the victim’s father with half of his face covered can be seen speaking. However, if one listens carefully, another voice also can be heard in the background prompting him to say certain things on the camera. The father can be heard alleging that the District Magistrate made him and two others sign a paper and that they were pressurised. However, before he completes his sentence he pauses for a while and then says the full sentence as if reading something (at 0:20).
The Hathras case will, of course, need a proper and fair investigation as the allegations made are serious. It needs to be examined if there were contradictory claims also, if the allegations of the family being kept away are true, then it also constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the victim, as well as her family. But what the liberal media and political parties have done in the wake of this case is outrightly disgusting. Using the death of a gang-rape victim and her caste to create even more deep fissures in the society—all to gain some political edge, the opposition continues to hit a new low and so does the liberal media which proclaims itself as a champion of women’s rights but in hindsight, is a vulture, only looking to boost its TRPs through the caste angle.
