Hope people of Wayanad give me chance to represent them: Priyanka Gandhi
Wayanad(Kerala) (PTI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, the UDF candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, on Wednesday expressed hope that the people of the hill constituency will give her an opportunity to represent them and repay the love they have shown her.
Priyanka made the statement during her visit to polling booths in Wayanad, where voting is currently taking place for the Lok Sabha by-election.
"My expectation is that the people of Wayanad will give me the chance to repay the love and affection they have shown me and to work for them and be their representative," she told reporters here.
In response to reporters' queries regarding the Waqf law issue, which has created a political storm in Kerala, and the lack of central assistance to landslide-affected people of Wayanad, Priyanka said, "I do not think today is the day to speak about these controversies."
"Today is the day of polling. I hope everyone exercises their democratic right and comes out to vote," she said.
On being asked whether she will surpass the victory margin of her brother, Rahul Gandhi, when he won from Wayanad in the general elections earlier this year, the Congress general secretary said "that is yet to be seen".
Rahul had won the hill constituency in the 2024 general elections with a victory margin of over 3.5 lakh votes and in 2019 he had achieved a margin of over 4.3 lakh votes.
He had vacated the Wayanad LS seat after he also won the Rae Bareli constituency in the 2024 general election and therefore, necessitated a bypoll in the hill constituency.
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
