UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya accused the SP of “protecting rapists” after its chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded a DNA test of the accused in the Ayodhya gang-rape case in which the 12-year-old victim became pregnant.

BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have asserted that accused Moid Khan, who runs a bakery in Bhadarsa Nagar in Purakalandar police station area of the district, is a member of the SP and is part of the team of Faizabad Member of Parliament Awadhesh Prasad.

Akhilesh Yadav, in a statement on Saturday said, “Without a DNA test in the Bhadarsa case of Ayodhya, BJP’s allegation will be considered biased.”

The BJP hit back, alleging the SP is defending a “paedophile” and showing its “boys will be boys” mindset while the leaders of the INDIA bloc are “silent”.

In a post in Hindi on X, Deputy Chief Minister Maurya said, “It is the Samajwadi Party’s innate nature to protect rapists.”

Hitting out at SP’s top leadership, including Akhilesh Yadav and his family members, Maurya said, “If a rapist is a Muslim, then the entire Saifai family puts its weight to save him. The SP will be wiped out.”

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was a native of Saifai.

Hitting back, senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav sought a narco test of Maurya “to make it clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues”.

Responding to Maurya’s tweet, Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle wrote on X, “I strongly condemn the Ayodhya incident and also support the demand for narco test made by Pawan Pandey. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya should also undergo a narco test so that it becomes clear who is doing cheap politics on sensitive issues.”

Pawan Pandey is Samajwadi Party’s Ayodhya district unit president.

Ayodhya police on July 30 arrested Moid Khan, who ran a bakery in Bhadarsa Nagar, and his employee Raju Khan for allegedly raping the minor two months ago and recording the crime. The incident came to light when recently a medical examination revealed that the victim was pregnant.

Bypolls will be held in 10 assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya’s Milkipur seat which was vacated by Awadhesh Prasad of SP after being elected to Lok Sabha from Faizabad.  The bypoll schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India.