Naliya case id card row: Gujarat BJP keeps record straight, rejects allegations

Gandhinagar: Gujarat BJP today said the incident of Naliya in Kutch distinct is very shameful and a blot. Government and BJP are very serious about this case and treating it with sensitive approach.

Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani has given instruction to police to see that the victim get justice and those found guilty get stringent punishment. BJP is taking strongest possible action with zero tolerance approach in this incident. As soon as some persons were named in First Information Report(FIR), the state BJP president Jitubhai Vaghani had asked Kutch district BJP president Keshubhai Patel to immediately suspend four persons from primary membership of BJP. The government has formed a Special Investigation Team(SIT) led by Police Inspector of Crime Branch under the guidance of DSP that has five Police Sub Inspectors(PSIs) including two lady PSIs as members. 5 out of total 8 accused are already arrested. Police had sought maximum possible 14-day remands of accused, which the court has granted.

Pandya rejected allegations that are based on political lies and said, “Congress is only interested in creating controversy. Neither Congress, nor AAP is interested in justice to victim or punishment to those involved. They both are only looking for political benefits out of this incident. Congress and AAP party have crossed all limits to make personal allegations based on lies. The government is taking strong action in order to see that accused get stringent punishment. The government is not going to spare anyone in this case. Congress is desperate to get power for last 20-25 years and therefore makes false allegations and involves itself into activities that would create social animosity. Congress gives negative programmes in order to disturb the atmosphere of Gujarat’s peace, unity and development. AAP is in power in Delhi where it is considered a ‘missing party’. Its MLAs and ministers have been facing cases of corruption, murder and other offenses. It is known that after Punjab election, AAP will enter Gujarat in order to defame the state and create disturbance here, but people of Gujarat are well aware about the motives and agendas of Congress and AAP.”

In reference to BJP training camp identity card being circulated by political opponents in connection with this incident, Pandya further said, “BJP district study camp identity card(that has come up on social media in connection with this incident) is bogus. There’s no signature of district president in this identity card. There’s photo on this card while the fact is that in BJP district study camps, we don’t put up photo on such cards. The card mentions the post of ‘Social Lady’ as designation, while the fact is that we in BJP don’t have any such post or position. Instead of taluka name, there’s village name ‘Naliya’ mentioned in the card which is fake. This identity card is conspiracy to defame BJP. Kutch district unit of BJP has demanded unbiased probe into this identity card row.”

Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja also gave similar statement on the issue. He said that Congress and AAP were involved in low grade politics on a ‘painful’ incident.

Meanwhile, a local court today also allowed 14 days police remand of two more accused of the case Shantilal Solanki, the main culprit of the case, and Bharat Darji.

The court had yesterday allowed police remand of similar period of three other accused for further interrogation.

Gujarat State Commission for Women chairperson Lila Ben Ankoliya today also sought a report on the matter.

Earlier on February 6, taking a tough stance, ruling BJP had suspended four of its leaders from the primary membership of the party for their alleged involvement in sensational rape case. Kutch district president of the BJP, Keshubhai Patel suspended Shantilal D Solanki (Convenor of the OBC cell of the party in Abdasa taluka), two councilors of Gandhidham Ajit Ramvani and Vasant Bhanusali and an office bearer of Gandhidham town BJP Govind A Parumalani from the primary membership of the party owing to the surfacing of their names in the police investigation of the Naliya rape case.

Notably, a 25 year old woman had lodged a case of gang-rape in Naliya police station on January 25 alleging that 10 people including the seven mentioned above had raped her. The woman who is a native of Kutch but lived in Mumbai also alleged that the accused had made her obscene videos and were blackmailing her. The incident of rape had allegedly taken place during a period of one year since August 2015 . She had also tried to commit suicide in a hotel in Nalasopara area in Mumbai. She had alleged that she was working at Shantilal Solanki’s LPG agency and was taken to his home on the promise advance salary payment and was later raped at various place by Solanki and others.

DeshGujarat