The Ayodhya gang-rape is a heinous crime like Hathras, Unnao and Kathua. Therefore, politics is also being done in the same way. By-elections are to be held for 10 assembly seats in UP, which also includes the Milkipur seat of Ayodhya. The Milkipur assembly seat has fallen vacant due to Awadhesh Prasad reaching the Lok Sabha from Faizabad, and that is why a by-election is being held.
Ever since the results of the Lok Sabha elections were announced, Awadhesh Prasad has been dominating national politics as the MP from Ayodhya. Akhilesh Yadav is projecting Awadhesh Prasad with special importance at various places – and is busy strengthening his political base against the BJP in UP.
The problem that has arisen is that the BJP has claimed that Moeed Khan, the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape, is an associate of Awadhesh Prasad and that he is a leader of the Samajwadi Party. The pictures of Moeed Khan with Awadhesh Prasad are going viral. The BJP was waiting for this ever since Akhilesh Yadav reached the Parliament after handing over the Constitution to Awadhesh Prasad. And he was sitting in the front row with Rahul Gandhi. The purpose was to propagate that the BJP has lost Ayodhya.
Now Awadhesh Prasad has come under fire for Moeed Khan. When questions were raised about the photo with Moeed Khan, he said, ‘Everyday at least 500 people get their photos clicked with me… how can we deny the photo.’
You are absolutely right. But the matter is not just about denying the photo, but also about standing in defense of the accused. Awadhesh Prasad says, no innocent person should be implicated… DNA test should be done… Samajwadi Party is standing with the victim and his family with full readiness.
Why does Avadhesh Prasad feel that an innocent person is being framed without any investigation. It seems that he is considering Moeed Khan innocent and is already giving him a clean chit from his side.
Like Akhilesh Yadav, Avadhesh Prasad has also reiterated his demand for a DNA test. Whatever happens next, Akhilesh Yadav is already politically trapped in this issue. Not only BJP, Mayawati is also attacking Akhilesh Yadav – only one leader from Congress has supported Akhilesh Yadav so far.
The case is of Ayodhya, therefore it is a crime against the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and a child, therefore the reaction of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also seems necessary – let’s see if Rahul and Priyanka also adopt the same attitude as Akhilesh Yadav had adopted for Arvind Kejriwal in the Swati Maliwal case in Lucknow.
Akhilesh Yadav should have known beforehand that the case is related to Ayodhya and the BJP is lying in wait. Like a wounded lion, it waits for the opportunity to destroy its enemy. Akhilesh Yadav should have thought before speaking anything in the Ayodhya gang rape case.
1. What does demanding a DNA test mean?
What and how should we understand what Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has written on social site X? Mayawati’s reaction to Akhilesh Yadav’s post also has implications, and even the Samajwadi Party leader must have already guessed this.
Akhilesh Yadav writes in his post, ‘The way for justice should be found by getting DNA tests done of those who have been accused of misdeeds… and politics should not be done by merely making allegations… whoever is guilty should be given full punishment according to the law, but if the allegations are proved false after the DNA test, then the government officials involved should also not be spared… this is the demand of justice.’
BSP leader Mayawati writes in her post on this issue, the strict action being taken by the UP government against the accused in the Ayodhya gangrape case is appropriate… but what should be understood by SP saying that the accused should undergo DNA test? SP should also tell how many DNA tests have been conducted against such accused in their government?
There should be an investigation and the innocent should not be punished, but this is not the way to go. If you want to do a DNA test, you can make this demand in court, and if you want to do politics, there can be some other way.
Similarly, in the Unnao gang rape case, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving life sentence from the court, was being given the benefit of doubt even before the investigation.
2. Is Akhilesh’s statement similar to Mulayam’s?
Whenever cases of crime against women come up, a statement by Samajwadi leader Mulayam Singh Yadav is definitely mentioned, ‘They are boys… boys make mistakes…’
Mulayam Singh had given this political statement keeping a particular vote bank in mind. Akhilesh Yadav has gone a little ahead of him. Like his father, Akhilesh Yadav has no problem with English language and computers. He is also taking the help of alliance to take socialist politics forward, after some loss, he is getting benefits too.
Still, Akhilesh Yadav has not been able to become a leader of the backward classes like Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yes, he is definitely moving forward on that path. It is possible that Mulayam’s statement on Ayodhya is also echoing in his mind, in which he used to talk proudly about firing on the karsevaks in Ayodhya – Ayodhya’s victory means that the people of Ayodhya have not approved Mulayam Singh’s statement. Special circumstances give special results, but this thing has to be confirmed again in Milkipur.
If Akhilesh Yadav continues to adopt such an attitude, then Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statement will be reminded again and again. UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya says, saving rapists is the innate nature of SP… If the rapist is a Muslim, then the entire Saifai family puts its weight behind saving him.
In return, Akhilesh Yadav is reminding Keshav Prasad Maurya of the defeat in Sirathu, but everyone knows that. Such a defence is of no use. In Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami also lost his election, but he is still the Chief Minister.
3. The attitude was insensitive even in the Swati Maliwal case
In the Lucknow press conference, a question related to the Swati Maliwal case was asked to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Arvind Kejriwal turned the mike towards Akhilesh Yadav for answering, and Akhilesh Yadav avoided the question calling it an unnecessary matter – his same attitude is visible in the Ayodhya gang rape case as well.
4. Congress will also have to clarify its stand on the Ayodhya issue
The Ayodhya gang rape incident is not an issue like the Ram Mandir that the entire opposition is boycotting the inauguration ceremony. Congress will also have to clarify its stand in this matter. Congress leader Sandeep Dixit has defended Akhilesh Yadav’s demand for DNA testing.
Is Rahul Gandhi also with Sandeep Dixit? The question is why are Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi differentiating between similar cases of Hathras, Unnao and Kathua?
5. Politics is one thing, crime against women is a serious matter
Crimes against women must be kept separate from vote bank politics. But looking at the Ayodhya gang rape case, it doesn’t seem like anyone is standing aside. Everyone is concerned about their own politics.
Vote bank politics is easily understood, but everything cannot be kept aside for vote bank. It is true that Akhilesh Yadav’s statement in the Swati Maliwal case did not cause any harm to the Samajwadi Party in UP, but Arvind Kejriwal’s entire crop was ruined – if not today then tomorrow such things can prove to be politically costly for Akhilesh Yadav as well.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)