Even Union minister couldn't escape eve-teasers in Yogi's UP

Safety of women was one of the topmost priorities as Yogi Adityanath took the reins of Uttar Pradesh in March 2017. And soon after he was sworn-in as the chief minister, Adityanath had formed 'anti-Romeo' squads to check on eve-teasing and ensure safety of college-going girls. However, one and half years later, little has improved in Uttar Pradesh with even a Union minister becoming the latest victim of eve-teasing. 

Anupriya Patel, minister of state for health and family welfare and a member of the Apna Dal party, was in eastern Uttar Pradesh district of Mirzapur to participate in various public programmes. She was returning to Varanasi in the night when three youths in a car started hurling indecent comments and chased the minister’s vehicle. Initially, the minister ignored them. 

But when the young men who were in a car sans a number plate did not mend their ways, the minister's security personnel in the cavalcade began chasing them. They fled for sometime, only to reappear later and continue with their “dirty comments”. The incident happened between Orai and Varanasi.

Realising that the situation was going out of control, Anupriya Patel informed the Varanasi police and other senior officials. The three men were soon nabbed by the police. Confirming the incident, Apna Dal (S) President Ashish Singh Patel said police have arrested the culprits.

A furious Anupriya Patel is now planning to lodge a complaint with Adityanath and BJP national President Amit Shah about the incident.

According to Mirzapur SP Ashish Tiwari, women in the district have had to face such incidents earlier too. The incident, where the Union minister traveling with her convoy and still being subjected to eve-teasing, has raised several questions regarding women's safety in Uttar Pradesh.