Do you ever read something so infuriating online that you just want to reach through the screen and punch that person in the face? That's exactly how a lot of people feel about a certain BJP leader who not only tried to question a gangrape victim's character who died after the heinous crime, but also tried to uphold rape culture by defending the rapists.

BJP's Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava had the audacity to call the 19-year-old Dalit woman, who lost her life after a brutal, unforgivable crime was committed against her, awaara.

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Victim blaming is an age-old tradition in rape cases and some people will do anything to protect the culprits, who in this case are four upper-caste men. 

This systemic oppression of rape victims is how rapes in this country will never cease to exist because there will always be hundreds and thousands of people questioning a dead woman's character, instead of focusing on the actual crime. 

They will do anything to villainize the victim but the rapists will always remain the 'innocent boys' or worse, 'boy who made a small mistake'.

Claiming that the victim was probably having an affair with one of the accused, the BJP leader said, "The victim must have called the boy to the field because they were having an affair. This news is already out on social media and news channels. She must have got caught after that."

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Spewing even more bullshit, he went on, "Such girls are found dead in only some places. They will be found dead in sugarcane, corn, and millet fields or in bushes, gutters, or forests. Why are they never found dead in paddy or wheat fields?"

It comes as no surprise that this man, who is so hellbent on a dead girl's character assassination, himself has 44 criminal cases against him. Well, criminal recognizes criminal.

He further went on to defend the accused men saying, "I can say with guarantee these boys are innocent. If they are not released in time, they will keep facing mental harassment. Who will return their lost youth? Will the government give them compensation?"

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What about the dead 19-year-old's youth that was stolen from her from these men - not boys, men - and what about the mental health of her family, that did not even get a chance to give a proper send-off to their daughter after she was a victim to the worst crime? 

What about the justice that she will never get because there will always be men who will defend other men's criminal actions? What about the crime government has committed her and her family by burning her body in the middle of the night while her family was locked inside their home?

After hearing his borderline criminal statement, the National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma said, "He is not fit to be called the leader of any party. He is showing his primitive and sick mindset and I am going to send a notice to him."

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This kind of mindset should not be tolerated, this kind of mindset should not be given a platform.

I don't know how PM tolerates these men.

— Alka Jacob (@AlkaJacob) October 7, 2020 Hmm.

If we are electing them as our representatives than who's gonna pay the price? ,yes "WE".

— saurav (@sharkrav) October 7, 2020 Good question.

I want yall to run this by me again and again and I still won't understand how this party retained power for the 2nd time https://t.co/obZ05PthwS

— aisha (@aichantwt) October 7, 2020 Hmm.

Aaah BJP. The puritanical, dark ages party for slut-shaming, character assassinating bags of donkey dung in human form. https://t.co/u2lAllcZHt

— TJSnodgrass (@AngryCitizen47) October 7, 2020 Of course, they are complicit.

These people are not morons. They are complicit in crime by denying it, protecting and/or justifying the criminals, slandering the victims and for believing in male ‘privilege’ to sexually abuse and perpetrate violence. https://t.co/URx3LQAGa5

— nisha (@Nisha_Indica) October 7, 2020 It's a hell hole.

Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava, a BJP leader from Barabanki who has 44 criminal cases against him .
Says Hathras gang-rape victim had affair with accused & it is the victim who was ‘awaara

There is not even a semblance of civilization in UP anymore.#योगी_का_षड्यंत्र pic.twitter.com/GlpNkKDoTE

— AVIR.. (@Avir_offical) October 7, 2020 Hmm.

BJP leader, Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava alleges that women having affairs are found dead in millet fields. Goes on to claim that all the Hathras accused are innocent. Hmmm.

— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) October 7, 2020 Exactly.

BJP leader, Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava must tell world, Who will return #ManishaValmiki lost life https://t.co/N3fUQkt7Fw

— a ru n (@arunk_bhulan) October 7, 2020

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