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Union Minister of State Sanjay Seth on Saturday questioned the delay in the arrest of Congress MLA Bhushan Bara in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case involving a 14-year-old tribal girl and sought an explanation from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Jharkhand government.
Speaking to ANI in Ranchi, Seth alleged that the minor girl was subjected to physical assault, threats and sexual assault by the Congress MLA. He also questioned the circumstances under which the girl had been sent to the MLA's residence, saying she had expected to be raised there like a daughter. "A young tribal girl who thought she was going to her guardian's house, where she would be raised like a daughter... but little did that child know that she was going to a monster's place. That Congress MLA committed atrocities and sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl. The 14-year-old girl was beaten, assaulted, threatened, and sexually assaulted by the MLA," Seth said. The Union Minister questioned why the MLA had not been arrested despite an FIR being registered against him under the POCSO Act. "An FIR has been registered against that MLA under the POCSO Act. Why has there been no arrest? If this had happened with a common man, the entire family would have been in jail. Why hasn't it happenedbecause he is a Congress MLA?" he said. Seth also targeted Rahul Gandhi, questioning his silence over the allegations against the Congress legislator and asking him to visit Ranchi and apologise. "Rahul Gandhi, you carry the Constitution in your pocket, and your own MLA has committed such a heinous act against a minor tribal girl. Do you have any words? Will you come to Ranchi and apologise to the country? You will not," he said. He further questioned the Jharkhand government, led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), alleging that it was dependent on Congress's support. "The Jharkhand government is surviving on the crutches of the Congress. Will the Chief Minister answer? Will the Congress party answer?" Seth said. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Bansuri Swaraj on Saturday accused the Congress of displaying double standards on women's dignity, questioning the party leadership's silence over serious allegations against its leaders and the appointment of leaders facing sexual misconduct allegations to key organisational positions. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Swaraj raised three issues involving Congress leaders, including allegations of rape against Jharkhand MLA Bhushan Bara, the appointment of Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam to key election committees and the appointment of senior leader Harak Singh Rawat as the head of the Congress election committee in Uttarakhand. Targeting Congress over the allegations against Bara, Swaraj said, "On one hand, India is taking pride in its culture and worshipping Chhathi Maiya, who is the source of the creation of the universe. And on the other, you know how Congress is repeatedly insulting women, who are the embodiment of Shakti (divine feminine power). Tomorrow is also the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda ji, which is also Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day). It is a very shameful matter that a sitting Congress MLA from Jharkhand, Bhushan Bara, is facing very serious allegations that he committed rape against a tribal girl who is just 14 years old." (ANI)
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