Amid the BJP and the SP's intensified 'war of words' over the Ayodhya gangrape incident, SP Supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday urged the court to take suo-moto cognizance of the matter and ensure the victims' safety under its supervision.
"It is a humble request to the Hon'ble Court to take suo motu cognizance and considering the sensitivity and seriousness of the situation, ensure every possible safety of the victim under its supervision," the SP supremo said while also emphasising the government to facilitate the victim's medical treatment with the best possible arrangements.
He stated, "The government should make the best possible medical arrangements for the rape victim. It is the government's responsibility to protect the girl's life.
Further, the SP chief in his statement also hits out at the BJP while calling out that the conspiracy of ill-intentioned people to politicize such incidents should never succeed.
'BJP, SP clash over Ayodhya gangrape case'
It is pertinent to note that the statement by Akhilesh Yadav comes after Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya slammed the SP for protecting the rapist.
Maurya, taking to the microblogging site, wrote, "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."
Notable, 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 reacted to 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.
