New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged Friday that its leaders were stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police from meeting the family members of the Hathras gangrape victim. In a statement, the party said that the delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs was stopped by police around 1.5 kilometres from the victim’s home.
“A delegation of Trinamool MPs have been stopped by UP police from entering Hathras. The delegation had travelled about 200kms from Delhi. The Trinamool MPs were on their way to the village in Hathras. They were travelling separately, to express solidarity with the grieving family and convey their condolences,” the statement said.
The delegation included Derek O’Brien, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and Mamata Thakur (former MP).
“We are peacefully proceedingto Hathras to meet the family and pay our condolences. We are travelling individually and maintaining all protocols. We are not armed. Why are we stopped? What kind of jungle raj is this that elected MPs are prevented from meeting a grieving family,” said one of the Trinamool MPs who was stopped in the statement.
“At this moment, we are just 1.5 kms from the victims home in Hathras. We have explained to police officials that we will walk the 1.5kms to the victims house in Hathras,” the MP added.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were Thursday arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police. They were arrested after they were stopped from marching towards Hathras. They were en route to meet the family members of the Dalit woman allegedly raped by four men September 14.