Badaun (Uttar Pradesh), June 2 (IANS): Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan Monday met the families of the two girls who were gang-raped and killed in a village here, and lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav government for not doing enough in the aftermath of the crime.
Accompanied by his son and Lok Sabha member Chirag Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party chief said the families in Katra Sadatganj village were living in constant fear and accused the Samajwadi Party government of conniving with criminals.
After a meeting with the families, the minister said the girls should get justice on the lines of the Dec 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape victim.
Paswan, the union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, questioned the decision of the chief minister to stay away from the village.
"When the entire country is pained at the ghastly incident, Akhilesh Yadav does not even have time to come to the village" he said.
"Why has the chief minister of the state failed to visit the victims' families? He must either be afraid of the villagers who are angry at the poor law and order situation or he must be giving tacit support to the perpetrators of this crime."
Demanding enhanced security for the families, Paswan said the state was witnessing a very grim law and order scenario.
Chirag Paswan said the statement of Mulayam Singh Yadav during the Lok Sabha campaign that "mistakes like rape happen in youth" has emboldened criminals.
Overwhelmed by the incident, Chirag Paswan said he also has sisters and could understand the trauma of the families.
Ram Vilas Paswan demanded a speedy trial in the case.
"There should be a fast trial in the case and the order for a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe should be acted upon at once," he said.
Paswan also said the lack of in-house toilet facilities is a major cause of rapes in the country.
"There is no toilet facility in the village. We demand adequate toilet facilities for all poor families in the village and across the country," he said.
The two girls, aged 14 and 15 years, were abducted, gang-raped and murdered May 27 when they went to relieve themselves in a field. Their bodies were later found hanging from a tree.
The state government has ordered a CBI probe into the matter.