Mayawati hits back after PM Narendra Modi targets her over Alwar gang-rape case

Zee News'Vishal Pandey reports that Mayawati has accused PM Modi of trying to politicise the Alwar gang-rape case. She has also hinted that she would withdraw support to the Congress government in Rajasthan if strict and just action is not taken in the gang-rape incident.

Mayawati on Sunday came out all guns blazing in her retaliatory fire against Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had questioned her support to the Congress government in Rajasthan in the aftermath of the Alwar gang-rape case.

Responding to PM Modi who had questioned why the BSP supremo continues to support the Congress' Rajasthan government despite the recent gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Alwar, Mayawati warned against politicisation of the incident. "PM Modi should not use this deplorable act to practice deplorable politics," she said, hinting that BSP won't hesitate from withdrawing support to the state government if the need arises. "In relation to this case, the BSP will definitely take a strong political step if just and stern action is not taken in the matter."

Mayawati then alleged that PM Modi remains silent on alleged atrocities committed against Dalits in BJP-governed states while choosing to highlight only the Alwar incident. "Why does he not take the moral responsibility for the attacks on Dalits in BJP-governed states and tender his resignation," she asked.

BSP - having partnered with SP in Uttar Pradesh - has been at loggerheads with BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha election. While PM Modi targeted Mayawati for having double standards, the BSP supremo has also levelled numerous charges against PM Modi and other BJP leaders. The Alwar gang-rape incident, however, has also led Mayawati to target Congress. "The Congress government suppressed the matter of gang rape for their politics. They didn`t let it come to fore till elections were over and even threatened the victim`s family. Our party had to struggle given the very little action Congress government took in the case," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Saturday.

The gruesome incident is about a Dalit woman - travelling with her husband - being waylaid by five youths who then took turns to rape her in Alwar earlier last week. The incident was reportedly also recorded by the accused men. While the Rajasthan government has assured that the guilty will be caught and punished as per law, political parties have begun trading charges already.

(Reporting by Vishal Pandey/Zee Media Bureau)