A day after Uttar Pradesh government rubbished news reports of women being sold in Bundelkhand region, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said it was a "harsh truth."
"The story aired by a news channel regarding selling of women in Bundelkhand region of the state and the manner in which poor and downtrodden are being treated is a big exposure and a harsh truth," Yadav said in Lucknow.
He said that if government claims that the report is baseless, it should clarify as to who had conducted the inquiry.
"The government should tell who had conducted the inquiry and who were the persons whose statements were recorded," Yadav said.
He said that as far as State Women Commission was concerned it was merely a puppet acting on the directions of Chief Minister Mayawati.
"SCW is nothing more than a puppet playing in the hands of the CM," he alleged.
The SCW on Wednesday said that there was no incident of selling of woman in Bundelkhand region.
On September 8, Kusum alias Sallo lodged a complaint at Todafatehpur police station in Jhansi alleging that a news channel aired a story on September 5 in which her character was portrayed "indecently."
In her FIR Kusum said that she was never sold by her brother-in-law Shripath, nor did her husband Deshraj pay any money to "buy" her.
{{/usCountry}}In her FIR Kusum said that she was never sold by her brother-in-law Shripath, nor did her husband Deshraj pay any money to "buy" her.
{{/usCountry}}Later, police lodged a case under SC/ST Act and other relevant sections of the IPC against the reporter of the news channel.