From Delhi to Bengaluru, from city streets to Parliament, the nation is witnessing furious protests over the brutal gangrape and murder of the veterinary doctor in Hyderabad. While the social media is flooded with angry posts, there has been no tweet or post by women ministers in Narendra Modi government over the gruesome crime. All three women ministers – Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Harsimrat Kaur Badal – have not tweeted a single line about the case. Not just ministers, other women leaders are also silent on the issue. The list includes names such as ex-minister Maneka Gandhi, actors-turned-politicians Hema Malini and Kirron Kher.
Among those who did tweet about the case was Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur! The Bhopal lawmaker, who is at the centre of Nathuram Godse controversy, took to Twitter to express her anguish. In a tweet in Hindi, Thakur demanded strict action against the accused and prayed for the doctor’s family. The silent women in BJP also include senior leaders such as Uma Bharti and Meenakshi Lekhi. Woman BJP leader who has spoken up against the crime is Sonal Man Singh. “I'm ashamed and shocked, I'm also disappointed that such incidents are reported from across country. Why there is govt, Police, civil society apathy? Each time there're candle marches & rallies then, why is it continuing,” the Rajya Sabha MP asked.
The Congress, on the other hand, has been much vocal about its protests against Hyderabad rape. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said she was “deeply disturbed” over the rape and murder of a 26-year-old veterinarian in Hyderabad. She also said as a society, “we have to do far more than just speak up when such incidents happen”. "Our mindsets have to be jolted into changing, into rejecting violence, into refusing to accept the abhorrent manner in which women are being brutalised on a daily basis," Priyanka Gandhi said on Twitter. "I have been so deeply disturbed by the savage rape and murder of the young veterinarian in Hyderabad and the teenage girl in Sambhal that no words are enough to express my outrage. As a society, we have to do far more than just speak up when these horrific incidents take place," she added.