New Delhi: The president of the Uttar Pradesh’s BJP unit on Tuesday claimed that rape-accused MLA Kuldeep Sengar was suspended from the party “long ago”, amid growing demands to sack the lawmaker after the Unnao rape survivor was critically injured in a car-truck collision. On Monday, murder charges were also framed against Sengar and others.Swatantra Dev Singh, the UP state BJP president, told PTI that Sengar was suspended by the party earlier and “there is no change in his status”. He claimed that Sengar was suspended in April 2018. However, a July 2018 report in the Navbharat Times quotes the party’s former state president, Mahendra Nath Pandey, as saying that the BJP will decide to act against the MLA only after charges are proven.On Tuesday, Swatantra Dev Singh said there is “no change in the position of the party and the government”, which he said, “is standing with the victim of the Unnao rape case”. He added that all possible help was being extended to those who are undergoing treatment in a hospital in Lucknow.Also Read: ‘Said They Would Wipe Out Our Family, And They Did,’ Says Unnao Survivor’s SisterA car in which the Unnao rape victim, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by a truck in Rae Bareli on Sunday, killing two members while leaving her and the advocate critically injured, police had said. The family has alleged conspiracy, and these allegations gained strength when it was revealed that the truck’s number plates were blackened out. This suggests that the accident was pre-meditated.Sengar, a four-time MLA from Bangermau, was arrested in April last year on charges on rape.Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma also claimed on Tuesday that Sengar had already been suspended by the party. Sharma visited the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) to inquire about the health of the two injured.“He (Sengar) has already been suspended. Strictest action has been taken,” he told reporters outside the trauma centre, when asked about when the party would sack Sengar.The demand for Sengar’s expulsion from the ruling BJP was led by Priyanka Gandhi, who, in a tweet this morning, said, “For Gods sake, Mr. Prime Minister, divest this criminal and his brother of the political power your party is giving them.”For God’s sake, Mr. Prime Minister, divest this criminal and his brother of the political power your party is giving them.Its still not too late.#BJPSackSengar— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 30, 2019Congress party workers came protested against the BJP in Lucknow, staging a dharna and demanding Sengar’s expulsion from the saffron party. They were detained as they started marching towards the BJP office.Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati had also accused the saffron party of complicity.Also Read: Unnao Case Timeline: A Trajectory of Prolonged Suffering“The meeting of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj with the rape-accused BJP MLA in jail proved that the raped accused are continuously getting the patronage of the ruling BJP…The Supreme Court needs to take cognisance of it,” Mayawati tweeted.Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav had visited the hospital to meet the rape survivor and her family.No improvement in conditionMeanwhile, hospital spokesperson Sandeep Tiwari said there was no improvement in the condition of the victim and her lawyer, who are critical. “The situation is critical. Both of them are in the ICU and kept on ventilator,” he added.The deputy chief minister said the government would provide the “best treatment” to them.“If needed, best doctors will be brought for them. We have initiated strict action and an FIR was lodged under the sections as the family members of victims wanted,” Sharma said.
