Asha Singh is the mother of the victim of the Unnao rape incident that took place in June 2017. In January 2022, he made headlines when Indian National Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra named him one of the candidates for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections.
Contents
- 1 Family
- 2 First media appearance
- 3 Rape incident with his daughter
- 4 Police’s reluctance to register FIR
- 5 His daughter was sold for Rs. 60 thousand
- 6 An open letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
- 7 death of her husband in custody
- 8 His daughter tried to commit suicide
- 9 FIR and CBI investigation against BJP MLA
- 10 joint protest
- 11 A letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi
- 12 Road accident or murder attempt?
- 13 Supreme Court intervention
- 14 Trial and conviction
- 15 MLA ticket from Unnao
Family
Asha Singh’s husband Surendra Singh alias Pappu died on 9 April 2019 after being beaten in police custody.
Surendra Singh alias Pappu, father of Unnao rape victim
Before Sengar called their daughter to their home to offer her a job and raped her, Asha Singh’s family had friendly relations with Sengar’s family, and her husband was a close political associate of Sengar. He has one son and four daughters. Although Asha Singh is not literate, she has educated all her daughters, and one of her daughters has even earned a master’s degree.
First media appearance
In April 2018, Asha Singh came to media attention in connection with a complaint against Kuldeep Singh Sengar, his brother Atul and others involved in the custodial murder of her husband Surendra Singh alias Pappu and the rape of her daughter.
Rape incident with his daughter
Asha Singh’s 17-year-old daughter, who was a minor at the time, was gang-raped by former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, his brother Jaideep alias Atul Singh and others in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh on June 4, 2017. She was kidnapped from her village Mankhi.
Police’s reluctance to register FIR
On June 21, 2017, 17 days after the gang rape, her daughter was found in a village named Auraiya, 116.8 kilometers away from her village. The next day, i.e. on 22 June 2017, the family claimed that when they attempted to name Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the FIR, the police objected and even threw them out.
His daughter was sold for Rs. 60 thousand
According to the victim’s statement, which she recorded before a judicial magistrate on June 22, 2017, Shubham Singh, Awadhesh Tiwari, Brijesh Yadav and other unidentified assailants were responsible for the kidnapping and gang rape. Later a second FIR was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) and the accused were detained. As stated in his statement, he was also sold for Rs. 60 thousand rupees from one person in Auraiya.
An open letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
In an open letter written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 17 August 2017, the victim described her experience of gang rape in detail. While the police recorded her statement, they did not allow her to identify her attacker.
Unnao rape victim talking to media
death of her husband in custody
Asha Singh’s husband Surendra Singh alias Pappu was allegedly beaten up by the police at the behest of Sengar and 10 others on April 3, 2018, in a false case of illegal weapons. Surendra Singh later died during treatment in the hospital on 9 April 2018.
His daughter tried to commit suicide
Rape victim daughter of Asha Singh attempted self-immolation outside the official residence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on 8 April 2018, accusing the police of failure to act.
FIR and CBI investigation against BJP MLA
As a result of widespread outrage, an FIR was registered against BJP MLA, Kuldeep Sengar and the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which then referred the case to the Allahabad High Court. On April 13, 2018, after the CBI interrogated the MLA, the Allahabad High Court had ordered the arrest of the MLA.
joint protest
In April 2018, joint protests took place across the country regarding the Unnao rape case and Kathua rape case. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a statement in which he condemned the incidents.
Joint protest against Unnao rape and Kathua rape
A letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi
In a letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi on 17 July 2019, Asha Singh and her daughter said that Sengar and his men were putting their lives in danger.
Road accident or murder attempt?
On 28 July 2019, a truck traveling at high speed with a black number plate hit a car carrying the victim, her lawyer and two aunts; Both her aunts died in the accident and the victim and her lawyer were seriously injured.
Supreme Court intervention
Taking cognizance of the letter written by the victim and her family to the CJI on August 1, 2019, the top court transferred the cases related to the rape case to Delhi, and directed the trial court to complete it within 45 days.
Trial and conviction
The daily hearing began on 5 August 2019, in Delhi’s Tis Hazari court. The victim was taken from King George Medical College in Lucknow to AIIMS Trauma Center in New Delhi. The trial court ordered on 6 December 2019 to shift the victim and her family to an accommodation rented by the Delhi Commission for Women, after she was discharged from AIIMS, New Delhi, on 25 September 2019. Former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar was convicted on 16. December 2019, and on 20 December 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 25 lakhs.
Kuldeep Sengar in police custody after being sentenced to life imprisonment
MLA ticket from Unnao
On January 13, 2022, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the list of 125 candidates for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections, in which Asha Singh’s name was also among 50 women. List. Releasing the list Priyanka Gandhi said,
The list sends a new signal that if you are someone who has faced injustice, you have the power to fight it. Congress will stand with you and support you.”
Asha Singh thanked Proyanka Gandhi for giving her the opportunity to contest the assembly elections and said,
He has given me and the women of the state such respect which no other political party has ever given before.
In an interview, when she was asked about the reason behind contesting the assembly elections, Asha Singh said that her fight against Mostar was not possible without gaining political power. He said,
I know that if we become careless, my daughter, myself and other family members will die. Sengar, his family and BJP are still active against us. I need political strength to keep fighting the demons, even if many of them are in jail. That is why I requested the Congress General Secretary to give me a ticket.
In January 2022, Asha Singh started her election campaign in her native village Unnao, where she returned after almost four years. During the election campaign he vowed to oust the ruling BJP government from the state. He said,
BJP expelled Sengar from the party after several months under media pressure. But the Supreme Court took cognizance of the case on the basis of media reports and finally we got justice. But socio-political justice is still awaited – Sengar may be in jail but the BJP is still in power in Uttar Pradesh and the country. I would ask the voters how can they support a party which supports a rapist and murderers.
Asha Singh is campaigning for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections
Asha Singh’s rape victim daughter also helped her mother in the election campaign. In an interview given to a newspaper, his daughter also promised to campaign against BJP in the elections. He said,
I am a rape survivor. I can tell you that BJP is very harmful for women. The entire country should keep this in mind while voting. We will soon rent a house and an election office in Unnao city and start a full-fledged campaign.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn