Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday accused the Samajwadi Party of "protecting rapists" after its chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded a DNA test of the accused in the Ayodhya gang-rape case in which the 12-year-old victim became pregnant.
Hitting back, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav sought a narco test of Maurya "to make it clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues".
Ayodhya police on July 30 arrested Moid Khan, who runs a bakery in Bhadarsa Nagar of Purakalandar police station area of the district, and his employee Raju Khan for allegedly raping the minor two months ago and recording the act.
The incident came to light when recently a medical examination revealed that the victim was pregnant.
BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have alleged that Khan is a member of the Samajwadi Party and is part of the team of Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad.
However, Akhilesh Yadav, in a statement issued from the SP headquarters on Saturday, said, "Without a DNA test in the Bhadarsa case of Ayodhya, BJP's allegation will be considered biased." The BJP hit back, alleging the SP is defending a "paedophile" and showing its "boys will be boys mindset" while leaders of the INDIA bloc are "silent".
In a post in Hindi on 'X', Deputy Chief Minister Maurya said, "It is the Samajwadi Party's innate nature to protect rapists."
Hitting out at Samajwadi Party's top leadership, including Akhilesh Yadav and his family members, he said, "If the rapist is a Muslim, then the entire Saifai family puts its weight to save him. The SP will be wiped out." Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was a native of Safai.
Responding to Maurya's tweet, Akhilesh Yadav's uncle and senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav wrote on 'X', "I strongly condemn the Ayodhya incident and also support the demand for narco test made by Pawan Pandey Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya should also undergo narco test so that it becomes clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues."
Pawan Pandey is the Samajwadi Party's Ayodhya district unit president.
Speaking to reporters in Etawah earlier in the day, Shivpal Yadav said, "Narco test should be done on the victim and the accused." He also added that the same test should also be done on the BJP leader and those "politicising the issue".
"They are doing all this because they faced defeat in the election, and the assembly bypolls are approaching. These people can do such things at places where bypolls are to be held. I want to tell Samajwadi Party workers to remain alert," Shivpal Yadav said.
Bypolls will be held in 10 Assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya's Milkipur which was vacated by SP's Awadhesh Prasad after winning the Lok Sabha polls.
The dates for the by-elections are yet to be declared.
The Ayodhya gang rape case took a political turn after it was claimed that Moid Khan is a Samajwadi Party member.
Adityanath mentioned the incident in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Thursday to target the SP.
"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. SP has not taken any action against him," he said.
After meeting the mother of the victim girl on Friday, the chief minister directed the officials to make special arrangements for the health and safety of the girl.
The Ayodhya district administration demolished Moid Khan's bakery on Saturday.
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