Welcome to The Political Fix by Rohan Venkataramakrishnan, a newsletter on Indian politics and policy. To get it in your inbox every week,...
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The Big Story: P.O.V
Almost unexpectedly, for a country in which gruesome crimes against women are distressingly commonplace, a rape case has managed to dominate the national conversation over the last few days.
Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to be waving to non-existent crowds while inaugurating a tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, Opposition leaders were being beaten up by the authorities in Uttar Pradesh as they sought to visit the family of the 19-year-old woman in the village of Hathras who was horrifically gangraped, left paralysed by the physical assault and eventually succumbed to her wounds on September 29.
The disturbing nature of the crime may partly explain why the case received more attention than others. But it was amplified by the response of the Uttar Pradesh authorities under the leadership of Chief Minister Adityanath, a Hindu nationalist leader who withdrew criminal cases against himself after coming to power and has since given the police a free hand to act well outside the bounds...Read more
