Congress attacks BSP over UP minor rape

The rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Purshottam Narain Dwivedi, has turned into an opportunity for the Congress to take on the ruling party in the state.

State Congress President Rita Bahuguna pulled up Chief Minister Mayawati, calling her government a “cabinet of criminals”.

She demanded the BSP chief should arrest the rape-accused MLA from Banda who had earlier had the girl detained over a case of theft.

Dwivedi, meanwhile denied the allegations, calling it a conspiracy by his political rivals aiming to tarnish his image.

According to him, he had merely given shelter to the girl since her father, a party worker, was not able to support her.

The Congress on the other hand alleges that the MLA had kidnapped and raped the girl, before having her arrested to cover up the truth.

The girl’s father has put forth the claim that she had been abducted by a boy and had approached Dwivedi to help him rescue her after being turned down by the police, media reports said.

He said that after having her rescued, Dwivedi told him that the girl should stay at his residence for safety.

But on Dec 13, the girl purportedly called her father saying that she had escaped after being raped by the MLA and his men. Two days later the police arrested the girl on the charges of theft, filed by the MLA’s son.

A police official was quoted as saying that the girl has confessed to stealing Rs 7,000 in cash, apart from a phone and some clothes from the MLA’s house.

Seizing the opportunity, the Congress has called for a high-level judicial probe, even as the BSP sacked the accused MLA from the post of party coordinator.

The police too is said to have swung into action and is having the girl medically examined.