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Saturday 29 December 2012

Sonia Gandhi addresses nation on rape victim's death; Sheila Dikshit's attempt to join protests fails

cleanmediatoday.com


Sonia Gandhi addresses nation on rape victim's death; Sheila Dikshit's attempt to join protests fails
Clean Media Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Dec 29 (CMC) Promising swift and fitting punishment for the Delhi gang-rape accused, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said the nation's "beloved daughter" will get justice and her fight will not go in vain. 

"As a woman and mother, I understand how you feel. I appeal you to remain calm and help strengthen our collective resolve to fight the menace of violence against women," Gandhi, who is also the UPA Chairperson, said in a televised address. 

"Today all Indians feel as they have lost their own beloved daughter, their cherished sister, a young woman of 23 whose life full of hope, dream and promise was ahead of her. Our hearts go out to her parents, family, the whole country shares their pain," she said. 

Appealing for peace and calm in wake of the tragic incident, Gandhi said, "Today we pledge that she will get justice and that her fight will not go in vain". 

The Congress President said that the tragedy "strengthens our resolve to fight with all our might and with all the powers of our laws and our administration for the safety and protection of all women of our country and to ensure swift and fitting punishment for the perpetrators of such acts. 

"It deepens our determination to battle the pervasive shameful social attitudes and mindsets that allow men to rape and molest women and girls with such impunity." 

As people hit the streets expressing their outrage over the tragedy, Gandhi said "to all of you who have expressed their anger and anguish publicly, who have poured out in her support, I want to assure you that your voice has been heard."

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today faced public rage when she was forced to return from Jantar Mantar where she went to take part in mourning the death of the gang-rape victim.

Dikshit reached Jantar Mantar where around 500 people gathered for mourning the death of the girl at around 2 pm but had to beat a hasty retreat as enraged protesters circled and forced her to return.

The Chief Minister and police tried to reason with the protesters and allow her to be part of the gathering but the demonstrators were in no mood to oblige.

However before leaving Jantar Mantar, she lit a candle and prayed for the departed soul.

"I had gone there to express my grief at the death of the girl," she said when asked about her visit to Jantar Mantar.

"Do you want to politicise somebody's death. Why didn't she come when the protests first began? She even asked police to remove us when we protested outside her residence," a protester said.

Within minutes, she was escorted out of the area by police.

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