AICC Scheduled Castes Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said atrocities against Dalits were rising in BJP-ruled States. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Congress on Saturday (April 4, 2026) accused the BJP government in Rajasthan of shielding the accused in the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Ajmer and the subsequent attack on her family, claiming the police failed to act despite the survivor’s statement and repeated complaints.
Addressing a press conference, AICC Scheduled Castes Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said atrocities against Dalits were rising in BJP-ruled States and claimed that 76% of cases of atrocities against Dalits were reported from five such States. According to him, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan accounted for the highest number of cases, followed by Bihar and Maharashtra.
Mr. Gautam said the Ajmer incident occurred in July 2024 but surfaced months later after the minor became pregnant.
A Zero FIR was registered in New Delhi and subsequently transferred to Ajmer. Despite the survivor recording her statement before a magistrate under relevant sections of the law, the police did not make any arrest for nearly eight months, he said.
Only one of the three accused has been arrested so far, Mr. Gautam alleged, adding that two others were briefly detained under preventive provisions but were later released.
He further claimed that on March 16, ahead of a scheduled court appearance, the survivor’s family was attacked with axes after they refused to agree to a compromise with the accused. A counter-FIR was registered against the family but was later closed, he said.
Mr. Gautam also alleged violations of provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including failure to provide protection to the survivor under Section 15(A) and the lack of action against officials concerned under Section 4.
Demanding immediate security and compensation for the survivor and her family, he said action should also be taken against police officials who allegedly flouted the law.
Mr. Gautam thanked the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the withdrawal of cases linked to the 2018 protests against the dilution of the SC/ST Act.
He also announced that Mr. Gandhi would flag off the “Run for Ambedkar, Run for Constitution” marathon in Delhi on April 12 to mark the birth anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar.
Published – April 04, 2026 10:54 pm IST
