As the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government continues to strike down against the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape incident, a war of words has ensued between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. While the BJP has been targeting the SP for their alleged inaction against one of the accused identified as Moid Khan in the case, believed to be a member of the SP, the Akhilesh Yadav-led outfit also slammed the saffron party for politicizing the issue.
Now, in the latest exchange of the war of words between the two, 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).
Notably, Maurya's reference to the Saifai family was a dig at SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav, as his father and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was a native of Saifai.
Shivpal demands Dy CM's narco test
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."
Significantly, speaking to reporters in Etawah earlier in the day also, Shivpal Yadav had called out the same demand. He said, "A narco test should be done on the victim and the accused."
He also added that the same test should be done on the BJP leader and those "politicizing 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 added.
It is pertinent to note that the development comes amid 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 had then 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."
READ MORE | Mayawati justifies UP govt's 'bulldozer action' in Ayodhya rape case, questions SP's stance
READ MORE | UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya criticises Akhilesh Yadav, says his party protects criminals
