Akhilesh Yadav Slams BJP Government After Ayodhya Court Acquits SP Leader in Minor Rape Case
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the BJP government on Friday, following the acquittal of former SP functionary Moed Khan by a Pocso court in Ayodhya in a 2024 gangrape case involving a minor. The court's decision, based on the absence of evidence linking Khan to the crime, prompted Akhilesh to declare that 'truth always prevails over conspiracies', directly accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of political victimization.
Court Acquits Khan Due to Lack of Evidence, Sentences Domestic Help
The local court in Ayodhya acquitted Moed Khan on Thursday, citing insufficient evidence to connect him to the rape. However, the court handed down a 20-year imprisonment sentence to his domestic help in the same case. Akhilesh Yadav, in a statement, emphasized 'Saazish se badi sachchai hoti hai' (truth is bigger than conspiracy), alleging that Khan was implicated merely because of his affiliation with the Samajwadi Party and his association with sitting SP MP Awadhesh Prasad.
When Khan was initially arrested, BJP leaders had accused the SP of 'patronising rapists and criminals'. Akhilesh had previously demanded a DNA test of the foetus from the survivor, who became pregnant, to identify the culprit and expedite justice. He insisted that if allegations against any accused proved false after the DNA test, government officials should be held accountable for implicating an innocent. The SP had also called for foolproof security for the survivor.
DNA Evidence and Property Demolition Fuel Political Controversy
During the trial, DNA samples from Moed Khan did not match, and the prosecution failed to establish his involvement, leading to his acquittal. While Khan was in jail, the administration used bulldozers to demolish his shopping complex and a house, declaring them 'illegal'. Referring to this, Akhilesh questioned whether the 'divisive BJP' had 'any bulldozer that could rebuild demolished houses' and restore people's dignity.
In an apparent reference to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath withdrawing criminal cases against himself, Akhilesh stated that those in power might withdraw cases but cannot evade the justice system of the Almighty. He condemned the 'gross injustice' and 'biased and partial approach' as a sin and crime, asserting that the bulldozer has become a symbol of destructive mindset under the BJP regime. Akhilesh warned that the BJP's politics of hate is leading the party towards defeat, declaring 'BJP's injustice will be defeated'.
Akhilesh Yadav Demands Caste Census for Welfare Balance
In a separate development, Akhilesh Yadav demanded on Friday that the scheduled census program include a separate column for castes, advocating for a headcount of all castes in India. Speaking to the media in Kannauj, he argued that a caste census would help determine the share of each caste in welfare schemes, promoting societal balance.
Akhilesh highlighted the importance of recording details such as the cause of death for individuals who have passed away since the last census, noting that many died due to vaccines administered during Covid and other illnesses. He emphasized that such data in a caste census would provide insights into ailments affecting the Indian population, underscoring the need for comprehensive demographic information to address public health and social equity issues effectively.
