In UP, every other MLA is a rapist

In UP, a large number of lawmakers have been forced to make unceremonious exit from the seats of power after their names cropped up in cases of rape and sexual exploitation though a few were also shielded by their respective governments.

In some cases, the legislators also got the victims eliminated and disposed of their bodies apparently to hide their crime and destroy all evidence.

Former BSP minister Amar Mani Tripathi’s affair with poetess Madhumita Shukla hogged the limelight a few years back. Madhumita, who conceived and refused to abort the minister’s child and insisted on marriage, was killed allegedly at the behest of Tripathi and his wife. The slain poetess’ sister, however, waged a lone battle and finally justice was done. Both Tripathi and his wife were sentenced to life imprisonment and are currently behind the bars.

BSP’s record

After the formation of the BSP government in 2007, minister for food and civil supplies Anand Sen’s affair with a law student Shashi came to light.

Shashi, a student of Awadh University, suddenly disappeared and remains untraced till today. Police recovered several love letters written by the former minister, who is currently in jail on charges of killing her.

Several MLAs and ministers from western Uttar Pradesh got embroiled in ‘sex’ controversies during the Mulayam Singh Yadav’s regime in 2005. The ‘sex CD’ featuring the then minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal general secretary Merjuddin and Kavita Chaudhary, a Meerut University student, forced the former’s exit and he also had to resign from the party post.

Samajwadi Party MLA from Sultanpur Anoop Sanda also hogged the limelight recently for his alleged affair with Samreen, a beautician, who accused the MLA of ‘backtracking’ on his promise to marry her. Samreen also alleged that she had a daughter from the MLA.

The MLA’s wife and Samreen came to blows in full public view in the state capital a few days back after they came face to face at a mall.

The BSP MLAs and ministers in the current dispensation, however, surpassed all previous records in ‘sexual exploitation.’ The list has only witnessed additions since the formation of the present government.

Mafia don and BSP MLA from Bulandshahar Bhagwan Sharma alias Guddu Pandit was charged with stalking and threatening an Agra University
research scholar Sheetal after she threatened to expose the MLA if he did not marry her.

Sheetal was abducted by the legislator’s goons but she managed to flee from their clutches and reported the matter to the police. The MLA is currently behind the bars.

Similarly, BSP legislator from Budaon Yogendra Sagar allegedly trapped a BA student Jyoti Sharma with the promise of marriage but later backtracked when the matter became public. Jyoti filed a petition in the court and a case of rape was registered against the legislator.

Chairman of the UP Fisheries Corporation Ram Mohan Garg, who enjoyed the status of minister of state, was charged with raping a woman for five years and blackmailing her after preparing a ‘sex CD’ of the victim. Mayawati had to sack him following an outcry.

The latest in this series is the alleged rape of a minor by the BSP MLA from Banda, Purushottam Naresh Dwivedi. The MLA not only repeatedly raped the minor girl but also got her arrested in a theft case when she threatened to expose him.

Mayawati, in an apparent damage control exercise, suspended the MLA from the party and ordered an inquiry by the crime branch CID.

With a little over 18 months still remaining for this government to complete its current term, it is not known how many more such cases will come into the open.