Women activists demand case be filed against Uma Bharti for Agra speech

Kolkata/Nagpur, (West Bengal/Maharashtra) [India] Feb. 10 (ANI): Condemning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti's speech at an Agra rally, women activists across the nation said it is a criminal offence and a suo moto criminal case should be filed against her. "Uma Bharti said that in 2003-04 she punished rapists in police stations, whipped them and put salt and chili powder on their wounds while they were screaming for their lives. Our Constitution doesn't permit those kinds of punishment. So, if she has done it with the help of police officers, then, a suo moto criminal case must be opened against them as they have committed a crime," women activist Ruby Mukherjee told ANI. She added that according to Bharti by making the victims watch the entire scene she gave them peace. "Do you think this is peace? This is again a mental agony for the victim," she said. She asserted that the accused must go through the litigation process and they must be punished. But this is not the correct way. This is inhumane. "This used to happen in ancient times but not now. If Uma Bharti has done it then it is extremely wrong," Mukherjee said. Echoing similar emotions, Annie Raja, another women activist, said in Nagpur that it is very unfortunate that central minister like Bharti was saying something to this effect. "It is very shameful if a woman goes through such heinous act, but if a minister herself is suggesting taking the law in your own hand, it is disrespect towards the Constitution of our country. There are certain rules and regulations to be followed," Raja said. Uma Bharti claimed on Friday that during her stint as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, she had got rapists tortured in police stations and made them beg for forgiveness. She added that when she ordered the police to torture rapists, they cautioned her that such actions were a violation of human rights. Earlier, Bharti had asked those questioning last year's surgical strikes to go and live in Pakistan. (ANI)