A former "block pramukh" was arrested on Monday for allegedly attempting to rape a 15-year-old girl, sparking a political controversy between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. The BJP criticized the SP, claiming the accused had previously been closely associated with senior SP leader Dimple Yadav during her tenure as Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj.
In response, the SP has distanced itself from the incident, stating that Nawab Singh Yadav is no longer a party member.
What Happened?
Kannauj Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Anand narrating the developments in the case said that a call was received at the UP 112 service around 1.30 am on Monday in which the girl alleged that she was undressed and a rape attempt was made at her.
The girl, along with her aunt, had gone to meet the accused, who had called them on the pretext of securing a job for her, the officer added.
In her complaint, the girl said Yadav tried to force himself on her when her aunt had gone to the bathroom. But once she came back and saw Yadav in his inner-wears, they immediately called 112, according to the police.
"Taking cognisance of the call, the local police and PRV teams immediately reached the spot. The girl was rescued and the accused, who was in an objectionable condition, was taken into custody," SP Anand said.
“On the basis of the complaint, an FIR has been lodged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act. The accused has been arrested and further legal proceedings are underway," he told reporters.
BJP Attacks SP
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi attacking SP, equated this incident in Kannaujwith with that of a recent Ayodhya rape case involving a minor girl.
Tripathi said, "Nawab Singh Yadav is not only a small leader of SP, but he has also been (former) MP Dimple Yadav's representative.”
“Samajwadi Party has always covered up such crimes under the policy that boys are boys and they make mistakes ('ladke hai, ladko se galti ho jaati hai). First, it was Moid Khan of Ayodhya and Nawab Yadav of Kannauj. This is the real character of the SP, " he said.
How Did SP Respond?
When contacted, Samajwadi Party's Kannauj unit president Kaleem Khan said Yadav at present is not a member of the party.
"It's his individual matter and the Samajwadi Party has nothing to do with it," Khan added.
Ayodhya Minor Rape Case
On July 30, the police in UP's Ayodhya district arrested Moid Khan, who ran a bakery in Ayodhya district's Bhadarsa Nagar, and his employee Raju Khan, in connection with the rape of a minor girl.
In a statement in the Assembly on August 1, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said, "Moid Khan is from the Samajwadi Party and is a member of the Ayodhya (Faizabad) 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."
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had urged the court to order protection for the Ayodhya rape survivor and said people trying to "politicise" the case must not be allowed to succeed.
Yadav had also alleged that the BJP was rattled after its defeat in Lok Sabha elections, especially in Ayodhya.
