BJP targets Akhilesh over Pratapgarh incident, says 'goonda raj is back in UP'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday condemned the Pratapgarh incident where a minor rape victim has been brutally attacked, and alleged that there is complete lawlessness in Uttar Pradesh under the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) regime.

"We condemned the shameful incident which is happened in UP. It is rising graph of atrocity against women in UP. The day Samajwadi Party took over the goonda raj has returned. And there is complete lawlessness in the state. There is more communal violence also," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

"Even the routine work of the government is paralysed because of the inner contradiction in the Samajwadi Party. But these kinds of atrocities against women, the graph which is rising is very serious," he added.

Earlier, terming the rape case in Pratapgarh as extremely shameful, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Kamal Farooqi on Friday assured action against those found guilty.

"Whatever has happened in Pratapgarh is extremely shameful. We are taking the strongest action against those guilty. The guilty will not be spared," said Farooqi.

The girl's parents alleged that the man had attacked her with a blunt weapon inflicting grievous injury to her face and mouth. It was an attempt, they alleged, to cut off her tongue to ensure that she would not be able to speak again.

"These men were hiding near a stream and when the girl went there for nature's call, they attacked her. They sat on her chest, took out her tongue and slit it. They kicked her and injured her limbs," said Raj Kumar, a relative of the victim.

The girl, who was gang-raped on January 22, was to testify in the court on July 24.

The girl has been admitted to the hospital in a serious condition.

Commenting on the incident, Pratapgarh District Superintendent of Police L R. Kumar said a case has been filed against the brother of the main accused in the rape case.