Thursday, 19 September 2024 | PNS | HALDWANI
Marking the second anniversary of the gruesome murder of Ankita Bhandari, the opposition Congress observed a fast in silence stir in Haldwani on Wednesday, demanding justice for the family of the deceased. Later, the party activists led by the MLA Sumit Hridayesh torched the BJP in effigy over what they dubbed as vituperative attack on the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on the ‘baseless’ reservation comment row.
Firing a salvo at the BJP and its government in the State, Hridayesh said that despite two years having passed since Ankita Bhandari had been brutally murdered, justice kept eluding the bereaved family. “The saffron party has been ignoring the people’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the murder case while shielding the VVIPs allegedly involved in it. However, we as members of the principal opposition party will never allow the issue to die down. We organised the silent fast today to express solidarity with the family and the people of the State who have been impatiently awaiting justice,” he added
On the vitriolic attacks and threats made by BJP leaders against Gandhi, he said that this had revealed the true character of the BJP. “This is not just an attack on a popular leader but an attempt to gag the voice of democracy. But such a vicious ploy to stifle the voice of the opposition will never succeed. Our party will see to it, fighting tooth and nail against the strong-arm tactics of the saffron camp,” he said.
Members of the frontal organisations of the party gathered in large numbers and took part in the silent fast and effigy-torching rally.
