NEW DELHI – In a sharp escalation of political tensions, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday described India as becoming a “dead society” following the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant bail to Unnao rape convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Gandhi also condemned the “shameful” treatment of the survivor, who was reportedly manhandled and removed by security forces during a protest at India Gate.

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“What Kind of Justice is This?”

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Raebareli MP questioned the moral state of the nation. His remarks were a direct reference to his earlier endorsement of a “dead economy” jibe—linking the country’s financial struggles with what he perceives as a collapse of social justice.

“Bail for rapists and treating survivors like criminals—what kind of justice is this? India is not only a ‘dead economy’ but is also becoming a ‘dead society,'” Gandhi wrote.

He further questioned the police action against the survivor: “Is her ‘fault’ that she has the courage to raise her voice for justice? In a democracy, raising a voice of dissent is a right… The survivor deserves respect, safety, and justice—not helplessness, fear, and injustice.”

The Court’s Ruling

On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, a Delhi High Court bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar suspended Sengar’s life sentence pending his appeal against his 2019 conviction.

The court granted him conditional bail subject to a ₹15 lakh personal bond. Strict conditions were imposed, including:

• Sengar must not enter within a 5-km radius of the survivor’s residence.

• He is prohibited from threatening or influencing the survivor or her mother.

• He must report to the local police station every Monday.

Despite the bail in the rape case, Sengar remains in custody as he is also serving a 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor’s father—a case in which he has not yet been granted similar relief.

Survivor to Move Supreme Court

The survivor, who was a minor at the time of the 2017 crime, expressed profound fear following the order. Speaking to reporters, she described the bail as “kaal” (death) for her family and alleged that their security had been compromised.

“Those with money win, those without money lose,” she rued, confirming her intent to challenge the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court.

Political Fallout

The Congress party has seized on the incident to highlight “systemic failures” in protecting women. The BJP has yet to issue an official response to Rahul Gandhi’s specific “dead society” comment, though party leaders have previously maintained that the legal process is independent and should be respected.

The Unnao case, which involves five related matters, was moved from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi in 2019 following a Supreme Court intervention due to safety concerns for the victim.