Delhi child-rape: Shinde callous as protests continue
22 Apr 2013
As protests against the brutal rape of a five-year-old child in Delhi entered their fourth day today, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde shcoked several MPs, by stating in parliament that such incidents happened across India and not just in Delhi.
Shinde was shifted from electricity to the home portfolio late last year amid one of the world's worst power outages that left huge swathes of the country in the dark.
He said that child rape is a nation-wide phenomenon in a suo motu statement tabled in both houses of parliament, just before they were adjourned amid a predictable uproar.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro authorities closed down two more stations on police instructions to restrict access to India Gate – a popular gathering point in the national capital – and 7 Race Course Road, the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
According to Delhi Metro officials, Udyog Bhavan and Central Secretariat stations would be closed for public from Monday morning till further directions.
Many demonstrators gathered today outside the Delhi Police headquarters near the busy ITO (income tax office) intersection.
The protests continued even as the second accused in the case – one Pradeep, whose last name was not released – was arrested from Lakhisarai district in Bihar on Sunday. Manoj, the main accused, was arrested from his in-laws' home in Muzaffarpur on Saturday.
The Race Course Road station was closed on Sunday evening, hours after members of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party attempted a protest before the Prime Minister's residence demanding the removal of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.
The Delhi Police, in a pamphlet issued on Sunday, promised to fast-track the enquiry into police personnel accused of trying to bribe the girl's family into hushing up the issue. The Station House Officer concerned has also been suspended.
