Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose administration is facing the heat over the alleged gang rape and murder of a 20-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, as well as UP Police's handling of the case, tweeted Friday to claim his government was "committed to the safety, security and development of all mothers and sisters". The Chief Minister, said exemplary punishments will be given to those who even think of disrespecting women.The opposition chorus demanding the resignation of Yogi Adityanath became louder after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday were detained on their way to Hathras. On Friday, a Trinamool delegation which was going to Hathras to meet the family members of the deceased Dalit woman was manhandled by UP Police.
On September 14, a Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped by four upper caste men. After being initially treated at Aligarh Medical College and Hospital, she was brought to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on September 29. Hathras police insisted on a hurried funeral and the last rites were done at 2.30am without the consent of the family. A disturbing sequence of visuals showed the family arguing with cops, female relatives throwing themselves on the hood of the ambulance carrying the body and a mother weeping helplessly as cops insisted on taking her daughter straight to cremation, without allowing her a last look.Amid spiraling outrage, the Hathras police claimed the cremation was carried out with the family's consent and some members were present. It turned out to be one uncle - not her parents - who was called and shown the cremation.