(The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.) After a standoff with the U.P. police, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family of the gang rape victim in Hathras on Saturday. After the meeting, Ms. Vadra conveyed that the family wanted a high-level probe into why the victim's body was burnt without their permission. On their way to Hathras, Ms. Vadra and her cortège of Congress leaders and legislators where blocked at the Delhi-Noida border by a large posse of policemen. After a scuffle during which Ms. Vadra was manhandled, some of the Congress leaders were allowed to proceed to Hathras. The visuals that emerged from yesterday's events showed the Congress putting up an active front on a crime that has rocked the nation due to its horrific nature and the caste violence ingrained in it. The party is trying to push the message that the BJP government in U.P. is anti-Dalit and insensitive. In this it seems to be one step ahead of the other two political players in the State, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. U.P. is a crucial variable in the political calculations of the national parties. Congress has not had much electoral success in the State in the last 30 years, and both Mr. Gandhi and Ms. Vadra have been trying to gain a foothold in the State over the last decade. Yesterday's development gives them some visibility at least in the short term, making this story on their protest important. |
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