Comparison between Hathras Karauli incidents prompted by 'vested political interests' Cong

    New Delhi, Oct 11 (PTI) The Congress Sunday said those making comparisons between the incidents in Hathras and Karauli were doing so for "vested political interests" as while justice was not done in Uttar Pradesh, prompt action was taken in Rajasthan.
    In UP's Hathras, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men on September 14 and she succumbed to injuries at a Delhi hospital a fortnight later, while in Rajasthan's Karauli, a temple priest died Wednesday after being set afire allegedly by land-grabbers.    
    The BJP has attacked the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan over the incident.
    Asked about the two incidents at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, "Let me be very clear that to compare as is being done by innuendo and insinuation by vested political interests, between Karauli and Hathras, is to make a mockery of justice."
    "Every murder, and it is the highest crime in our penal book, is despicable, dastardly and must be condemned, be it Hathras and be it Karauli. But that is not the point. Did you have a midnight cremation in Karauli? Answer is ‘No’. Did you have it in UP? Answer is ‘Yes’.
    "Did you prevent access to all political leaders and all journalists... for five days, 'dhakkam-dhakka' (shoving and pushing), abuse, but, no access, it did not happen in Rajasthan. But, it happened in UP," Singhvi said.
    He urged everyone to make a distinction between the two incidents, asserting that justice was done in Rajasthan with prompt action.
    "One is justice, one is injustice. So before you make comparisons, search your soul and don’t think the people of India are fools," Singhvi said.
    The BJP had earlier hit out at the Congress over incidents of crime in Rajasthan, saying law and order in the state has "gone for a toss" and asked Rahul Gandhi to pay attention to it instead of visiting BJP-ruled states for "political tourism".
    In UP, the Yogi Adityanath government is fighting severe criticism for its handling of the Hathras case, particularly after the local police cremated the woman's body at night allegedly without the family's approval.
    However, officials had said the cremation was done "as per the wishes of the family".
    The Hathras gang-rape and murder case is being probed by the CBI which registered an FIR Sunday morning. PTI ASK TIR
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)