THE All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) held a militant march to the Governor’s house (Rajbhavan) in Patna on 21st April, demanding that rape-accused RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav be charge-sheeted and stripped of his membership in the Bihar Assembly.
The protesting women marched from the Gardanibagh Gate Library to the Governor's mansion, then made a turn towards the State Assembly where they managed to enter the premises before tangling with security guards.
AIPWA State President Saroj Chaubey, Secretary Shashi Yadav and National GS Meena Tiwari as well as other state-level leaders led the march, accusing the government of trying to protect the RJD leader. They sought a speedy trial to bring the alleged rapist to justice.
Raj Ballabh Yadav was identified by a 15-year old girl in Nalanda district as having raped her. He had gone underground and surrendered before the police only after protests by AIPWA and other women’s groups. But the police had dragged its feet on filing a charge-sheet, and meanwhile media carried news of him holding a lavish party inside the prison.
Following the AIPWA March, the chargesheet against Raj Ballabh Yadav has been filed. AIPWA has vowed to continue to struggle till he is convicted and punished.
