New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday, accusing Akhilesh Yadav's party of consistently siding with criminals. Trivedi referenced past incidents to underscore his point, including a notorious remark by a Samajwadi leader who, after two rape victims committed suicide due to lack of justice, insensitively said, "Boys make mistakes." Trivedi suggested that the influence of the "two boys of UP" (a reference to the Samajwadi Party leadership) has emboldened criminals in the state.

Trivedi further accused the Samajwadi Party of having a longstanding affinity for criminal elements, stating, "Supporting criminals is in the DNA of the Samajwadi Party. Crime and criminals should not be judged based on religion, ideology, or political affiliation—they should be seen as criminals, period."

The BJP MP's remarks come in the wake of recent incidents involving Samajwadi Party members. On August 12, former SP leader Nawab Singh Yadav was arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a 15-year-old girl. According to Kannauj Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Kumar Anand, the police acted swiftly on a distress call, rescuing the girl and arresting Yadav. He was later produced in court and remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.

The case against Yadav, who was accused of luring the minor under the pretense of offering her a job, has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Despite his arrest, Yadav has claimed that the charges against him are part of a conspiracy by "capitalists," and has vowed to continue fighting against what he describes as "injustice."

In response to the arrest, the Samajwadi Party sought to distance itself from Yadav, with Kannauj District President Kaleem Khan issuing a statement asserting that Yadav is "not an active member" of the party and had been involved in anti-party activities for the past five years.

This incident follows another scandal involving SP leader Moeed Khan, who was accused of raping and blackmailing a 12-year-old girl in Ayodhya. Khan was arrested after the allegations surfaced, and the local administration subsequently demolished his "illegally constructed" bakery. These incidents have further fueled the BJP's criticism of the Samajwadi Party's alleged complicity in shielding criminals.

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