Cong denied nod for march

Uttar Pradesh Three more alleged cases of rape reported.

On a day when the Uttar Pradesh Police reported fresh cases of alleged sexual assault in the state,the political battle between Chief Minister Mayawati and the Congress escalated with authorities refusing permission to the opposition party to take out a march here on Monday against the alleged spurt in crimes.

In Barabanki,a 11-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth in Dewa area,the police said on Sunday. The victim was reportedly dragged by a youth to a secluded place and raped while she was returning home in Ibrahimpur Khurd village on Saturday night,the police said. The accused has been arrested,they said.

In Ghaziabad,parents of a seven-year-old Dalit girl alleged that she was burnt alive by some persons who tried to rape her. The police,however,said that the post-mortem report does not mention rape. See Newsline

In Hathras,parents of a teenager lodged a complaint with the police that their girl was raped by her uncle on June 24. The police have arrested the accused.

These incidents came to light as Mayawati prepared to chair a high-level meeting of officials on Monday to chalk out strategy to deal with crime,after a spate of rape and murder incidents this month prompted the Centre to seek a report from her government on the prevailing law and order situation.

Simultaneously,the Lucknow district administration cited the possibility of breach of peace that could be caused by the Congresss Nyaya March and denied permission for the same.

District Magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar said that permission has been declined as police apprehended breach of peace and inconvenience to residents due to traffic disruptions. He said prohibitory orders under Section 144 IPC are already in force here.

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The Congress slammed the decision saying it reflected the fascist style of functioning of the Mayawati government. How can they deny permission for our democratic right to hold a peaceful march. It is ridiculous, UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi said. Joshi said the Congress has made a fresh application for permission for the march on the ground that the partys previous marches have been peaceful. She said Congress workers will have a meeting at Bal Sangrahalaya grounds near the railway station on Monday if the permission is denied again. The party has decided that if they are not allowed to march on Monday,they will hold the Nyaya Pukar Sabha on the grounds. She informed that party leaders would make their speeches against the deteriorating law and order situation in UP at the public meeting. They cannot force us out of this place,as we have officially hired it, said Joshi.

The administrations decision to deny permission came against the backdrop of mounting attack by the Opposition on Mayawati over the recent rise in rape cases and the mysterious death of deputy CMO Y S Sachan in Lucknow jail.

Mayawati said the Opposition was attempting to destabilise her government by giving political colour to even the smallest of the matters. Even a section of the media,with a casteist mentality,were publishing a distorted picture,she said addressing a rally in Mumbai suburb Goregaon.