An Indian-American girl has sent a video message to prime minister Narendra Modi expressing her disgust at the rape and murder of eight-year-old Asifa.
In the video uploaded on Twitter, the girl who describes herself as a "Tamil Indian by heart" says she does not want to visit India ever again due to the increase in atrocities committed against children and women.
The girl starts the video saying she has visited India as a baby and despite the heavy traffic she loved the people and food. “Now, I’m hearing news and reading through Facebook that woman and children in India are raped and murdered every other day,” she said and gives the example of the brutal rape and murder of Asifa in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The girl then proceeded to urge the Prime Minister Modi to take strong action against people who commit such violence. “Prime Minister we have to make sure that this stuff stops and India is now safe for woman and children,” said the girl identified as Ms. V. She added that she does not want to visit India ever again as she is worried for her safety.
10 years old Indian American girl Ms V sends video msg to PM Modi that she will skip summer vacation to India this year because she's scared now after hearing about brutal gangrape of #Asifa, please Modi ji bring back our India's lost glory!!! pic.twitter.com/h6sNCCllEr
— Irony Of India (@IronyOfIndia_) April 15, 2018
The recent rape and murder of Asifa has stirred wide-spread protest across India, with several groups urging the BJP-led government to enforce strict measures to protect women and children.
Asifa was brutally gang raped by eight men in a temple in Kathua. They held her captive for about four days and raped her repeatedly. She was strangulated and her head was hit twice with a stone to ensure she was dead.
The seven men and a minor accused of involvement in the gang rape and murder of Asifa on Monday appeared in a local court where they denied any wrongdoing.
The main accused, Sanji Ram, who was the custodian of the Hindu temple where Asifa was held captive, said the charges were a conspiracy against him. Pleading not guilty, the men has asked for a Narcoanalysis test, wherein the suspect is injected with sodium pentothal in an attempt to elicit a confession.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images