The BJP was on Tuesday accused of exerting pressure on the family of the Meerut girl at the centre of the “love jihad’ controversy after a video surfaced in the media showing a senior BJP leader giving them money.
BJP leader Vinit Agarwal Sharda admitted giving Rs. 25,000 to the family. He is now being accused by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of pressuring the family to “speak the language the BJP wanted them to speak” and turning a plain case of love affair into a politically sensitive ‘love jihad.’
The girl had initially alleged gang-rape in a madarsa and forcible conversion into Islam. But on Sunday, after running away from her family, she told the media that she was forced to make these allegations because her family wanted to take “more money” from a political leader. Mr. Sharda, who is convenor of the U.P. State BJP Traders’ Association, however, denied trying to influence the probe. “Yes, it is true that I gave the family money and promised further financial help. I helped the family out of humanitarian considerations,” he told The Hindu on the phone.
Published - October 15, 2014 05:21 am IST
