Ankita Murder Case: ‘Sanyukt Sangharsh Manch’ to start picketing BJP ministers and legislators to seek justice from March 24

Ankita Murder Case: ‘Sanyukt Sangharsh Manch’ to start picketing BJP ministers and legislators to seek justice from March 24

Dehradun, March 17

The ‘Sanyukt Sangharsh Manch’ has decided to picket the ruling BJP ministers and legislators on the streets to secure justice for Ankita Bhandari. The next phase of struggle for Ankita Bhandari will start with picketing of Uttarakhand assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri on March 24. The agitation demanding the arrest of the ‘VIP’ culprit in the Ankita murder case is set to intensify further.

The members of the Manch will picket BJP ministers and MLAs who either dismiss the issue of justice for Ankita as insignificant or have maintained a complete silence on the matter.

At a meeting of the ‘Ankita Nyay Yatra Sanyukt Sangharsh Manch’ held at the Shaheed Smarak in Dehradun on Tuesday , a declaration of an all-out battle against the state’s BJP government was made. The Manch announced that, coinciding with the completion of four years of the BJP government’s tenure, they would undertake a systematic picketing campaign against ministers and MLAs who have been making irresponsible or nonsensical statements regarding this sensitive issue.

All speakers, including Kamala Pant, Convenor of the Manch expressed deep anger and anguish over the fact that the graph of crimes against women in the state continues to rise, while the government remains indifferent. They termed the government’s attitude—specifically its apparent attempts to shield the ‘VIP’ who is the prime suspect in the Ankita murder case—as utterly shameful. They stated that the campaign would commence on March 24 with the picketing of Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri, who had previously made remarks implying that the Ankita murder case was not even a significant issue.

Following this, in a phased manner, every single BJP minister and MLA in the state will be picketed and held accountable for the failure to secure justice for Ankita, as well as for the BJP government’s alleged attempts to protect the ‘VIP’ culprit.

The Sangharsh Manch recently issued a strong condemnation of the “inappropriate remarks” made by Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal against social activists during the Gairsain Assembly budget session. Furthermore, the Manch also termed Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri’s characterization of the Ankita murder case as “unnecessary” an insult to the daughters of Uttarakhand. Office bearers of the Manch stated that in the very House where the pursuit of justice for a daughter of the state should have been the subject of discussion, the government—along with its responsible functionaries—is actively evading even a debate on the issue.

Following the meeting, irate activists of the Manch burned an effigy of BJP National General Secretary (Organization) outside the District Magistrate’s office. The Manch alleges that despite the name of a certain “VIP” surfacing in connection with the Ankita murder case, no concrete action has been taken against that individual, and the concerned leader continues to remain active within Uttarakhand. The protesters vowed that their agitation would continue until the said VIP is arrested.

Many social and political activists were present on this occasion, including Nirmala Bisht, Sujata Paul, Mohit Dimri, Uma Bhatt, Bipin Negi, Suraj Negi, Vimala Koli, I.P. Sharma, Padma Gupta, and Smriti Negi.