Girl alleges rape by legislator’s nephew, begins hunger strike

BHOPAL - A minor girl who alleged that she was raped by a legislator’s nephew last year has gone on a hunger strike demanding justice in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh.

The girl alleged rape by Dhanmendra, a nephew of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Yashpal Sisodia. She is sitting on a hunger strike since Sunday at Azad Chowk of Mandsaur district, over 350 km from Bhopal.

The girl, around 16 years old, said so far no action has been taken on her complaint lodged six months back but at least four cases have been filed against her since then. She has also been sent to jail three times by police for various reasons.

“I have been sent to jail for raising the rape issue. I have tried to meet Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Mandsaur and in Bhopal but the police did not let me meet him,” the girl said.

Sisodia, however, refuted the charges, saying: “It is a political conspiracy to malign my image. Congress party is using the girl against me. How am I attached to it? It is a matter of police and judiciary now.”

Mandsaur Superintendent of Police G.K. Pathak could not be reached for comment. Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Srivastava, however, dismissed the protest.

“She wants action on her FIR but no action should be taken on cases against her. Every case has a process and we could not do much. If she does all this, let her do (it),” Srivastava told IANS.