‘Bulandshahr gang rape could be political conspiracy’

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan on Tuesday created a controversy by alleging that a “political conspiracy” might be involved in the gang rape of a Noida-based mother and daughter near Bulandshahr. Known for bizarre comments in the past, the urban development and parliamentary affairs minister said in Raampur on Monday night that the investigative agencies should explore the possibility of some opposition party being involved in the gang rape.

While justifying the action against policemen on the issue, the minister further said that the government should also keep a watch on opponents as “people can stoop to any levels” in politics. “To get power politicians can get down to any level, they can murder people, trigger riots, kill innocent people, so the truth has to be found out” he added.

Reacting sharply to the statement, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said it was shameful that a senior minister could make such outrageous statements. “If you cannot bring succour to the victims, one should not add injury to insult” he said while demanding that UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav apologise for the conduct and statement of his ministerial colleague.

Eight armed men stopped the family car on the Delhi-Kanpur highway early Saturday morning. The men dragged the members to nearby sugarcane fields and proceeded to rape the teenager and her 38-year-old mother. The other members of the family were tied up.

IANS