Amidst widespread condemnation of rising crimes against women in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Samajawadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today said that the least number of rapes takes place in UP.
Mulayam said, "The population is so high. UP has a population of 21 crores. If there are least amount of rapes in this country, they are in Uttar Pradesh. Every crime cannot be checked in the state."
The SP chief's response comes after another brutal gangrape and murder of a woman in Lucknow's Mohanlalganj has come to light.
Another Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal stood by Mulayam's statement and said that since independence there has been no state where crimes don't happen.
Naresh Agarwal told ANI, "What netaji has said that is the ground reality. In the Lucknow case, the woman had left with a known person but then the attack happened. The accused have been identified. Strict action will be taken against them."
"It's not only about rapes, there are many more crimes and no government can stop all of it at once. Ever since independence, there has been no state where crimes don't happen, irrespective of the party which rules the state. That is why we talk about speedy trail, and then it can be stopped to some extent," he added.
Agarwal also added that crimes against women are happening across the country. "These rapes have not only about UP, it's about whole country. Look at what happened in Bangalore. This has become the trend in India and government should introspect in it.