Unnao case: BJP's Sakshi Maharaj meets rape-accused MLA in jail
Picture this: An MLA was accused of raping a minor and planning a conspiracy which killed her father. That MLA was sent to jail and months later, a parliamentarian paid him a visit. This may sound dystopian but this is what happened in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday when BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj visited MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in jail. Definitely, no country for women.
Last year, a shocking incident was reported from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Sengar and his accomplices raped a 17-year-old and when the victim's family went to the police to report, they were shunned. What made the story more depressing was that the victim's father was put in jail, thrashed; he later succumbed to injuries. After immense outrage, CBI took over the investigation.
Sengar was arrested in April last year after CBI filed a chargesheet. CBI charged him under IPC Sections 120B, 363, 366, 376(1), 506 and POCSO Act. On Wednesday, Sakshi Maharaj visited Sengar at Sitapur jail. He had gone there to "thank him" for winning elections. Notably, Sakshi won from Unnao seat after he got 7,03,507 votes. He defeated Samajwadi Party's Arun Shanker Shukla.
Jail Superintendent DC Mishra said the meeting lasted for just two minutes. "He said he would thank the MLA. He thanked him and then left. It lasted barely two minutes," Mishra said. After the meeting, Sakshi told media, "He is lodged in jail for a long time. Sengar is one of the most popular lawmakers so I came to thank him after the elections."
If one looks at Sakshi's resume, one would know he doesn't have much regard for the law and neither is he sensitive towards others. Sakshi, who wears saffron and calls himself a saint, has been named in 34 cases including criminal intimidation, robbery, dacoity, murder, forgery, cheating and criminal breach of trust. Once he spent 10 days in Tihar jail for rape charges.
Sakshi's first controversy after being re-elected defies the "Sabka Vishwas" motto which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting. The least the BJP can do is to publicly slam Sakshi for his actions. But will the top brass speak against the 'saint'?
