UP: Party Workers Thrash Cong Woman for Questioning Ticket to ‘Rapist’
DEORIA (UP): A group of men, alleged to be Congress workers, thrashed a woman party leader in Uttar Pradesh for questioning the candidature for the upcoming by polls of a man, who she accused of being a rapist on Sunday.
The woman, identified as Tara Devi Yadav, protested over a ticket being given to Congress candidate Mukund Bhaskar Mani Tripathi from Deoria, claiming that he is ‘a rapist’.
“On the one hand, our party leaders are fighting for justice for the Hathras woman, and on the other hand, party ticket is being given to a rapist. It is a wrong decision. It will malign the image of our party,” news agency ANI quoted Tara Devi Yadav as saying.
IANS reported that she was beaten after told party Secretary Sachin Naik that the ticket should be given to “someone with a good character.” “I didn’t hit Sachin Nayak. I just wanted to ask why he (Mukund Bhaskar) was given the ticket and then I was thrashed.”
Tara Yadav has filed a complaint to the police, naming Congress district president Dharmendra Singh, vice president Ajay Singh and two others for the attack, also accusing them of abusing and molesting her, NDTV reported.
According to report that the UP Congress has set up a committee to inquire about the incident, which will submit its report within three days. Meanwhile, two workers have been suspended from the party.
Cellphone videos that are being widely circulated show Tara Devi being punched and pushed around by a group of men. She was finally rescued by a couple of others who led her away.
In her complaint to the police, Tara Devi has named Congress district president Dharmendra Singh, vice president Ajay Singh and two others for the attack. She has also accused them of abusing and molesting her.
The Townhall for the by-polls is being held in Deoria, where the Congress has named Mukund Bhaskar as the candidate for the seat which was left vacant after death of BJP MLA Janmejay Singh.
There were allegations that Tara Devi — who came to the meet with three other women party workers threw a bouquet at the party’s national secretary Sachin Nayak. Soon a fight started during which the woman was hit.
“We wanted the party to reconsider its decision,” Tara Devi was quoted as saying by ANI. “I didn’t hit Sachin Nayak. I just wanted to ask why he (Mukund Bhaskar) was given the ticket and then I was thrashed.”The attack comes in the backdrop of the alleged gang-rape and brutalisation of a 20-year-old who belonged to the Scheduled Castes from Hathras, which has evoked outrage across the country.
The Congress has been on the forefront of the attack on Yogi Adiyanath government, over the police handling of the case.Union minister Hardeep Puri today targetted the Congress over the attack on Tara Devi.
“In the context of by-polls to the Deoria assembly constituency, a meeting was held at the party office in Deoria on October 10. In this meeting, Deendayal Yadav and Ajay Kumar Sainthwar indulged in indiscipline, and have been expelled from the party with immediate effect,” read a statement from the party, which has also formed a three-member panel to investigate the issue.
(Bureau Report with agency Inputs).
