"Akhilesh forgetting PDA, giving clean chit to Moeed Khan": BJP slams SP Chief over Ayodhya gang rape case

New Delhi [India], August 3 : Launching a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused him of protecting SP leader Moeed Khan, the main accused in the gang rape of a minor girl, adding that Akhilesh is forgetting PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Adivasi) and giving clean chit to Moeed Khan.
Poonawala told ANI that a daughter of the PDA community is raped and the SP Chief is not able to expel the accused because of the vote bank.
"Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party talk about PDA, but now when a 12-year-old girl from the Nishad community is raped and the accused 65-year-old Moeed Khan, who is part of the core team of Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad, not only commits rape but also makes a video of it. So today Akhilesh Yadav is forgetting PDA and giving clean chit to Moeed Khan. Does he not trust a 12-year-old girl?" he said.
"Why has he not been expelled yet? Today the question arises that a daughter of the PDA community is raped and Akhilesh Yadav is not able to expel Moeed Khan because the vote bank has become too heavy for PDA," Poonawalla added further.
Earlier today, echoing the demand of Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad to conduct a DNA test in the case of the gang rape of a minor girl, Akhilesh Yadav said that DNA tests should be done on the rape accused to deliver justice to the victim.
In a post on X, Akhilesh said, "In the case of misdeeds, the way for justice should be found by getting DNA tests done on those who are accused, and not by merely making allegations and doing politics. Whoever is guilty should be given full punishment according to the law, but if the allegations are proven false after the DNA test, then the government officials involved should also not be spared. This is the demand for justice."
The Ayodhya administration demolished the bakery of SP leader Moeed Khan, the main accused in the gang rape of a minor girl today.
Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati slammed the Samajwadi Party over the DNA test demand and asked how many DNA tests were done during their tenure.
"The strict action being taken by the UP government against the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape case is justified, but what should be understood by SP saying that the DNA test of the accused should be done. Whereas SP should also tell how many DNA tests have been done against such accused in their government," she said on X.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo also targeted Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav over his demand for a DNA test of the accused in the Ayodhya gang rape case.
In a post on X, Kanoongo said, "A minor girl has been raped, the allegations are against your party leader and you are dogmatically defending him. This is the same DNA that defends rapists of girls by saying, "Boys make mistakes.".
He further urged the Samajwadi Party MP to show some humanity towards the victim.
"You are a member of the Parliament that makes laws for children, please show some humanity towards the victimised girl. Honourable MP, think beyond caste, religion and DNA. You MPs are the protectors of the children of the country, the children are your responsibility," he added.
Reacting to the incident, Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Awadhesh Prasad said that all the people involved in the case should be investigated and the truth should come out.
"As far as this incident is concerned, it is very painful and shameful. All the people involved in this incident should be investigated, the truth should be found out and whoever is guilty action should be taken with full force against them. And as far as the victim is concerned, our party completely stands with the victim. It is unfortunate that the Bharatiya Janata Party is doing politics on this. I humbly request such people that this is not a moment for politics," he said.
"Innocents should not be framed and DNA tests should be conducted. She (the victim) should be helped financially as well," the Samajwadi Party MP added.