Kolkata : As BJP’s ‘fact-finding team to probe into the alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl at Hanshkhali in West Bengals Nadia district met the victim’s family on Friday, a political controversy was triggered as a crucial member of the team, who is also a minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government, didn’t turn up for the visit.
Although it is an all-woman five-member team as announced by the BJP central leadership on Wednesday, only four of its members were present during the visit on Friday.
A crucial member of the team, Baby Rani Maurya, who’s the Minister for Women and Child Development in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, did not turn up.
The other four members of the committee — BJP’s national Vice President Rekha Verma, Tamil Nadu MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, Bengal MLA Sreerupa Mitra Choudhuri and actress-turned BJP leader Khushbu Sundar — visited the victim’s family in Nadia district.
“Met the family of the victim in Hanskhali Nadia, WB. A 14yr old was brutally raped n murdered. Our BJP President @JPNadda had formed a fact-finding committee. Spoke to the family n paid our condolences. Report will be submitted soon,” Khushbu tweeted.
However, the absence of Maurya has triggered political mud-slinging in the state.
Senior Trinamool Congress MLA, Tapas Roy, told IANS that Maurya deliberately skipped the visit to avoid ‘uncomfortable’ questions.
“What answer would she give if she asked about the heinous rape cases that took place in Unnao and Hathras in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh? Does she have any answer as to why the BJP did not form a fact-finding team for Unnao and Hathras. We are according least importance to the fact-finding team of the BJP, which is here just to influence the CBI probe into this matter,” Roy said.
Reacting to Roy’s remarks, former BJP Bengal unit chief Rahul Sinha told IANS that by raising the issue of her absence, Trinamool is trying to divert attention from the principal issue, which is the minor’s rape and murder, and the subsequent attempt by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to downplay it.
“Why is Trinamool Congress bothered about our fact-finding team? Anyway, we are not bothered. Our fact- finding team will do its work diligently and submit the report to our national President,” Sinha said.
–IANS