SP demands dismissal of UP minister on rape incident

Lucknow, July 16 (UNI) Samajwadi Party today demanded immediate dismissal of Uttar Pradesh minister of state for Ayurvedic (independent charge) Dadan Mishra from the Mayawati ministry following his brothers' alleged involvement in Shravasti mass rape case of July 10.

Six-member party's fact finding team recently visited Dhannidih village in Shravasti district and found the involvement of the family members of the minister in the said mass rape of Muslim women.

The team leader and former assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey told newspersons here that at least 15 women have confessed before them that they were raped and paraded naked in the village by a mob led by Ajay and Alok, brothers of minister Dadan Mishra.

''Though the government had conspired to cover up the rape case by influencing the medical report, it was unfortunate that the nearby Sirsia police station, just 3 kms from the spot did not react on July 10, even as the vandalism went for more than five hours and the women were paraded naked for about 2 kms'', Mr Pandey said.

Mr Pandey informed the trouble started on July 7 when a girl of the nearby Brahmin community eloped with a muslim boy of Dhannidih village.

''The act of the police was biased and they did not do anything to trace out the girl. Nor they provided additional police in the village'', he said adding that on the incident day the vehicle of the minister was also detected at Dhannidih village.

The team has recommended to the party for holding demonstrations in protest against the incident and to put pressure on the government to remove the tainted minister.

UNI