The government of Uttar Pradesh has hired the PR services to support their claim that the 19-year-old Hathras gang-rape victim who died on 29 September in New Delhi was apparently not raped.
The police had detained the members of the congress party for intending to meet the family of the victim stating that it was a violation of section 144 and would further create an atmosphere of uncertainty.
When all the states have government’s information department to issue statements to the public, why did the UP government appoint a PR firm?
On 1 October 2020, the media houses received a note from a PR firm stating that the forensic reports, preliminary medical and post-mortem reports have revealed that the 19-year-old girl was not raped. The note included that it was a conspiracy to bring in the caste of the victim in the situation.
The Uttar Pradesh police were accused of illegally cremating the body of the victim without the consent of the family. The PR note stated that the police undertook the funeral only to prevent arising of unexpected situations that were to avoid intensive investigation into the matter.
The PR note restates the earlier statement of the police that the forensic report of the victim has revealed that the girl was not raped, which was validated by the post-mortem report. They also make it clear that the police would conduct investigation focusing on the ‘conspiracy to push the state into class turmoil’ and not on the rape case.
The three-member committee formed by the UP government would disclose about the attempts to disrupt the stability and peace of the State. The case was also put in the fast trial court. However, along with finding the attackers, the Uttar Pradesh police would also investigate the scenario of opposite facts that went viral in spite of the DM of Hathras clarifying the event.
The police were accused of the police locking the family in their homes and conduction the final rites of the victim without the permission, whereas the police claimed that the family was present in the cremation of the girl.
The death of the Victim was mentioned in a number of international newspapers namely, the New York Times and the Guardian. The UP government has immediately reacted by hiring PR to clarify the situation to the media personnel.
On 2 October, hundreds of people had gathered to protest against the UP government’s way of handling the rape case and not taking actions to stop further crimes against women. The government has received a lot of flak regarding the issue. People demanded that the resignation of the Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
The state which has registered the highest number of crimes against women has shoved the assault allegation and now focused on the caste issue in the crime. People are now awaiting the response of the government regarding the matter and want the Uttar Pradesh government to arrest the perpetrators.
