Uttar Pradesh Minister Mocks Unnao Rape Survivor's Protest at India Gate
Controversial Remarks by UP Minister
On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar made light of the Unnao rape survivor's protest, questioning her presence at India Gate instead of her home in Unnao, as reported by a local news outlet.
The survivor and her mother had gathered at India Gate on Tuesday to voice their opposition to the High Court's decision to suspend the life sentence of former BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted in the case. They were forcibly removed from the protest site by security personnel.
Rajbhar, responding to inquiries from reporters, laughed and remarked, “Why India Gate? She is from Unnao.”
His comments came after the woman was taken away by police during the protest.
Reporter: Police took away Unnao rape survivor from India gate.
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) December 24, 2025
BJP allay OP Rajbhar: But her house is in Unnao. Hehehehehe. pic.twitter.com/HXFjj6qBcw
Rajbhar further stated that the court had mandated a 5-km distance between Sengar and the survivor's family, questioning the need for a protest in Delhi when security measures were in place.
Sengar was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019 for the rape of the woman, who was a minor at the time of the incident in 2017.
In a separate case, he and his brother were also sentenced to 10 years for the murder of the survivor's father while in judicial custody.
Despite being granted bail by the Delhi High Court, Sengar remains incarcerated due to the conviction in the murder case.
The survivor expressed her distress over the court's decision, stating it felt like “no less than death” for her. She raised concerns about the safety of women in the country if convicts are granted bail and announced her intention to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court.
A video capturing the removal of the survivor and her mother from the protest prompted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to question the appropriateness of such treatment towards a gangrape survivor. He criticized the bail granted to Sengar as “extremely disappointing and shameful,” emphasizing the ongoing harassment faced by the survivor.
Gandhi questioned, “Bail for rapists, and treating survivors like criminals – what kind of justice is this?”