Congress leaders sent notice for callous remark

Mumbai: Taking strong cognisance of the controversial statements about alleged sexual abuse in the tribal girls’ hostel of Rajura in Chandrapur district, the state Women’s Commission has issued notice to Congress leaders Vijay Wadettiwar, Suresh Dhanorkar, and Subhash Dhote. They have been asked to explain their stand on April 30.

In the notice sent to these Congress leaders, the state Women’s Commission said, “You have said that the parents of the victims have registered police complaints with an aim of getting government benefit. It is a serious statement, which doubts the intentions of tribal girls and their parents. Even before investigation into the complaints of sexual abuse by the concerned agencies and Judiciary has been completed, you have made these insensitive remarks.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought action under the Preven-tion of Atrocities Act for the controversial statements against the victims and their families in the tribal girls’ hostel case.

Mr Dhote, president of the school where the tribal girls were abused, created a controversy by saying that the parents of the victims were “enthusiastically filing complaints to claim the monetary aid of `3 to `5 lakh under Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) and the Nirbhaya Act.” MLA Wadettiwar too supported his statement.

Although Mr Wadettiwar and Mr Dhote later tendered an unconditional apology to the victims, they have been slammed by social activists over the issue.

The tribals staged protests at many places and criticised the leaders by beating their posters with sandals and burning effigies at different places.

Social worker Paromita Goswami too filed a complaint with the high court-appointed panel and Congress national president Rahul Gandhi in the matter.

She slammed Mr Wadettiwar, Mr Dhote and Mr Dhanorkar for making insensitive statements. She termed it intimidation of the victims’ families by defaming them as money mongers.