BJP corners Akhilesh over 'rape-accused' SP leader Gayatri Prajapati

With the Supreme Court ordering the Uttar Pradesh police to register an FIR against Transport Minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati in a case of alleged gangrape of a 35-year-old woman, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday asserted that criminals in the state are masquerading around as ministers and politicians under the wing of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

"Akhilesh Yadav was the one who went around campaigning in the state with one hand on Gayatri Prajapati's shoulders. People of Uttar Pradesh are now looking for answers over women's safety from him. It's shocking that those who have untoward intentions against women are the very ministers being protected by Akhilesh," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI here.

Earlier, the gangrape survivor had moved the apex court after the police in Uttar Pradesh did not register the FIR, following which the police were ordered to file a status report in the matter within eight weeks.

The woman, who hails from Chitrakoot, has alleged she was raped by Prajapati and others for two years on the pretext of getting a position within the Samajwadi Party.