Dalit girl''s continued incarceration outrageous : Cong

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Congress today lashed out at theMayawati government in Uttar Pradesh terming as "outrageous"the continued incarceration of a Dalit girl in a false casewho was allegedly raped by BSP MLA Purshottam Dwivedi anddemanded strictest punishment for the accused.

"It is absolutely outrageous that the victim is actuallybehind bars in a false case and that it took Uttar Pradeshgovernment so long to even move to arrest the perpetrator,"party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters at theAICC briefing.

Terming the rape incident "an outrage and utterlycondemnable", Natarajan said, "The person who is guilty, afterdue proceedure of law, should immediately be punished instrictest possible terms."

When told that the BSP MLA has accused oppositionparties of implicating him in a false case, Natarajandismissively said, "I think it was the police there (whichtook action)."

The acccused BSP legislator has threatened to takerevenge on opposition parties accusing them of implicating himin a false case.

The Congress spokesperson said that the issue ofgreater conern is that the "the establishment took so long toreact in this case of a completely helpless young Dalit girl.

I think the administration and establishment should do theirjob in the fastest possible manner."

48-year-old Dwivedi, who represents Naraini seat inUttar Pradesh Assembly, was on the run after orders for hisarrest were issued yesterday in connection with the allegedcriminal assault on the 17-year-old girl belonging to thebackward community.

The girl was allegedly raped on December 10-11, 2010,at the legislators''s residence. She escaped from the MLA''shouse on December 12 when the MLA allegedly attempted rape fora third time and was arrested the same day on theft charges.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh unit of Congress said it wouldmove the High Court seeking the release of the girl.

"We will appeal in the High Court to ensure the releaseof the girl", PCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi said in astatement in Lucknow.

Joshi also demanded enhanced security for Congress''Banda MLA Vivek Singh who, she said, had highlighted the casedue to which BSP MLA Purshottam Naresh Dwivedi was booked onthe charge of raping her.