Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sparked a political storm with his remarks demanding a DNA test of the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape case in which the 12-year-old victim became pregnant.
Yadav said levelling allegations to defame the SP without investigating the incident is motivated by political malice. His response came after the BJP alleged that the main accused in the case is a member of the SP.
“Whoever is guilty should be given due punishment according to the law, but if the allegations are proved to be false after the DNA test, then the government officials involved should also not be spared. Action should be taken against them,” he said.
Both the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party reacted sharply, saying Yadav has already given clean chit to the accused. Chief Minister Adityanath mentioned the case in the assembly on Thursday and targeted the SP.
“This is a case of Ayodhya. Moid Khan is from SP and is a member of the Ayodhya MP’s team. He has been found involved in the rape of a 12-year-old girl. The Samajwadi Party has not taken any action against him,’ he said.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya slammed the SP for protecting the rapist. However, the SP also sternly hit back against the Deputy CM, calling for a narco test of him (Maurya) “to make it clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues.”
“It is the innate nature of SP to save rapists. If the rapist is a Muslim, then the entire Saifai family puts its weight behind saving him. SP will be wiped out,” Deputy Chief Minister Maurya said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
BSP chief Mayawati asked how many accused were subjected to DNA tests under the SP rule in such cases, the BJP too stepped up its attack, alleging Yadav has given a “clean chit” to accused Moid Khan who is linked to the Samajwadi Party.
Meanwhile, SP leader and Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Yadav strongly retracted Maurya’s tweet. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav responded to Maurya’s tweet, saying, “I strongly condemn the Ayodhya incident and also support the demand for a narco test made by Pawan Pandey. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya should also undergo a narco test so that it becomes clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues.”
UP minister and Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad, who broke down in tears after meeting the victim and her family in Ayodhya, hit out at SP leaders, accusing them of shielding the accused, and said he would protest at the SP office against the atrocity.
