When family members and political parties are equivocally demanding CBI probe into the brutal murder of a woman in Mohanlalganj area of
lucknow, the outgoing Governor Aziz Qureshi stirred a hornet’s nest when he said even God cannot stop rapes in Uttar Pradesh but later he said he was misquoted. “Even if God descends on the earth rapes will not stop here,” he told reporters here on Monday. Qureshi, who would be relinquishing his additional charge of UP Governor on Tuesday admitted that during his one month tenure in UP he had seen rampant crime in the state.
“Though there is an young and innovative Chief Minister here he needs to work hard. You cannot stop rape by just policing. Even if you put military all around, you cannot stop rapes,” the outgoing Governor said. Within an hour of giving this statement the Governor made a U-turn and said he was misquoted.
‘’ In fact I was the first to seek an explanation from the state government on the Mohanlalganj rape and murder case,” he said in his clarification. Clarifying over his controversial statement, Qureshi said he had just said that rape cannot be curbed 100 percent, what is required is strict law and fast implementation of the law . Governor in fact went a step ahead and rubbished police theory giving a major embarrassment to Akhilesh Yadav government. ‘’I am of firm opinion that Mohanlalganj incident cannot be handiwork of one person. The case needs to be further investigated, he said while adding that he has asked the UP police to re-investigate the case. Meanwhile, BJP state president Dr laxmi Kant Bajpai said that the statement of Governor shows he has not lived up to the expectation of the people. Even his conduct as Governor has raised many questions, he said in a statement issued here.
The statement came at the backdrop of allegations that lucknow police was trying to protect real culprits. The Opposition parties and the
family members of the victim have rejected the claim of UP police theory and demanded CBI prone the matter. Peoples Forum, an NGO has also moved a PIl in the lucknow bench of the Allahabad High court today demanding a CBI probe into the gruesome murder. Realising that public sentiments have gone against Government senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said that he will enquire into the matter and if police was found guilty action would be taken against them. “UP government is sincere in its effort to punish the guilty persons involved in the crime and the government was ready to go to any extent,” Yadav said.