Ayodhya rape case: Akhilesh Yadav's DNA test demand sparks row; UP minister to protest at SP office

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday sparked a controversy with his remarks demanding a DNA test of the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape case in which the 12-year-old victim became pregnant.

While 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.

In a statement issued from the SP headquarters on Saturday, Yadav 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 I.N.D.I.A. bloc are "silent".

"Because the girl belongs to the Nishad community and the brute belongs to the vote bank, evidence is being sought from her even though she is pregnant."

"What do they want to prove with the DNA test? Who all were involved in the gangrape, will this be decided on the basis of the DNA test? Is the rapist who made the girl pregnant the only one guilty of rape?" BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said on X.

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.

In his statement, Yadav alleged that the BJP was rattled after its defeat in Lok Sabha elections including in Ayodhya.

"Justice should be done by getting the DNA test done of all accused instead of doing politics by just making allegations," he said, adding "levelling allegations to defame the Samajwadi Party without investigating the incident is motivated by political malice."

Yadav said, "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." The SP chief also demanded that the government should immediately provide assistance of Rs 20 lakh to the victim's family.

However, BSP chief Mayawati questioned Yadav's remarks on the DNA test of the accused.

"The strict action being taken by the UP government against the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape case is justified, but what should one understand from SP's statement that the DNA test of the accused should be done.

"The SP should also tell how many DNA tests have been done against such accused in their government," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

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 in the case of gang rape of a 12-year-old girl.

Police said that Moid and Raju Khan raped the minor two months ago and also recorded the act. The incident came to light when recently the 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.

"Akhilesh Yadav gives clean chit to rapist Moid Khan, SP Neta & demands DNA test! Is this not an insult to the 12-year-old Nishad girl," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said on X.

"Moid Khan’s SP supporters threatened the family of minor to withdraw the case! On one hand, CM Yogi is taking bulldozer action- on the other hand, SP is showing a “boys will be boys” mindset & defending a paedophile… "All I.N.D.I. ALLIANCE netas are silent!...," Poonawalla said on X.

He was referring to late SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's controversial remark made a decade back while opposing capital punishment for rape. Boys will be boys, they make "mistakes", the SP founder had then said.

"I will appeal to all parties that a tyrant doesn't have any caste, don't take his side. I will go to the Samajwadi Party office and protest against such a tyrant," Nishad said after meeting the victim's family.

CM 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.

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 Khan's bakery on Saturday.

Ayodhya's District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh told PTI that it was illegally built over a pond.