Rahul Gandhi comes out in support of activist Bela Bhatia

Bela Bhatia was allegedly asked to vacate her house in Pandripani village in Bastar district on Monday.

New Delhi, Jan 24: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday came out in support of activist Bela Bhatia and others like her, fighting for justice for tribals in Chhattisgarh and said that violence cannot silence the truth.

"Violence has never silenced the truth. I stand with Bela Bhatia and all those fighting for justice for the tribals of Chhattisgarh," he tweeted.

Bhatia was allegedly asked to vacate her house in Pandripani village in Bastar district on Monday by the villagers who held a protest outside it accusing her of being a 'Maoist sympathiser', the police had said. Bhatia claimed that she was allegedly threatened by a group of men who asked her to vacate immediately, failing which they will set the house ablaze.

The incident occurred in Pandripani village under Parpa police station limits. "After getting the information of demonstration by local villagers in front of Bhatia's house in Pandripani village under Parpa police station limits, a police team was rushed to the spot," Bastar SP RN Dash had said, adding that enough security has been provided for her protection.

Notably, Bhatia was among a group of people who had accompanied a National Human Rights Commission team to villages of Bijapur two days ago to record the statements of alleged rape victims.

PTI