Expressing anguish over the recent gang rape of an eight-year-old schoolgirl in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, Congress election campaign committee chairman of the state Jyotiraditya Scindia launched an acerbic attack on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accusing him of utter failure in ensuring safety and respect of women and girls in the state.

Addressing the media at a Meet-The-Press programme in Bhopal on Saturday, Scindia alleged, “CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan only keeps on making hollow announcements and false promises of women safety while sitting in the CM House, but takes no concrete action to ensure that and so the ground reality is exactly the opposite.

“Aaj meri pradesh ki mahila apne aap ko surakshit nahi samajhti,” (today a woman of my state does not consider herself safe),” lamented Scindia.
On his arrival at the venue, Scindia refused to accept flower bouquets presented to him by office-bearers of the Central Press Club of Bhopal. Recounting the recent incidents of horrific rapes of minor girls in the state, Scindia said, “A nine-year-old girl was raped in Shahdol, a six-year-old girl was raped in Gwalior and now this girl in Mandsaur.”

He also castigated the alleged indifferent attitude of BJP MLA Sudarshan Gupta and Member of Parliament Sudhir Gupta, who had gone to meet the victim and her parents at the MY Hospital in Indore.

“The BJP MLA asked the victim’s parents to thank the BJP MP because he had come to visit them! Is this the sensitivity of these BJP leaders?” Scindia questioned.

He accused the police of acting slowly on the matter and not expediting the investigation to ensure quick justice to the victim.

He charged that women and dalits were not safe in MP under BJP rule. He made the remark in reference to a recent incident where a dalit farmer was allegedly burnt alive by members of higher castes in a village near Bhopal.

Scindia also visited the house of the deceased farmer, Kishorilal, at village Berasia. He expressed condolences to the family members and assured them of all help.

Meanwhile, police arrested another accused in the gang rape case of Mandsaur on Friday. The accused has been identified as Asif, a resident of Madarpura area in Mandsaur. Police said the accused is learnt to be a drug addict.

Doctors at the MY Hospital said the girl is out of danger and is recovering well.
MY Hospital Superintendent Dr V S Pal said she has undergone surgeries and would remain in the hospital for about two weeks. Dr Pal said there is no danger to her life.