"Rape is rape" and should not be politicised: PM
LONDON, April 19: Amid massive outrage across the country and beyond over the numerous rape cases that have surfaced recently, including the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said "rape is rape" and should not be politicised.
"When a child is raped... we cannot compare these incidents in numbers for different governments. Rape is rape... How can we accept this?" PM Modi asked on Wednesday.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been persistently attacking the Prime Minister and his BJP over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. On Monday, Mr Gandhi had pointed out on Twitter that there were as many as 19,675 cases of rapes of children in 2016.
The prime minister today said that the recent sexual assaults were a matter of shame for India.
"Every time in our country... it is always the woman who is questioned. The person who is committing these crimes is also someone's son... The rape of a (daughter) is a matter of worry, a shame for the country," PM Modi said during an interaction with the Indian community at London's iconic Central Hall Westminster.
The PM was met by hundreds of protesters as he arrived in London as part of a four day visit today. The protesters displayed photos of the eight-year-old girl from a nomadic Muslim community in Kathua, who was raped and murdered in January, allegedly by a group that included policemen and a former government official.
PM Modi had last week said that justice will be done and no criminal will be spared, referring to the rape cases that has sparked outrage across India.
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
