Rediff

Mumbai, Apr 18: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on Friday alleged that two rape cases in Nashik district, during the anti-north Indian campaign led by Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, went unnoticed.

"Two women from Uttar Pradesh were raped and no complaint has been lodged so far. Local people know the culprits but they are frightened to name them," he said and condemned the incidents.

The SP leader said that two people were killed in the same campaign, during which women were also targeted.

Azmi alleged that the Congress, heading the coalition government in Maharashtra, is supporting Raj to secure its vote bank and ignoring his activities by not taking any serious measures.

In fact, Raj should be charged for murder and robbery as the MNS campaign claimed two lives and many north Indians were looted while fleeing Maharashtra, he said.

Azmi demanded that a special Bill be passed by Parliament to 'restrict anti-national activities of people like Raj'.

"The Congress did not give any reply to my demand and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil kept saying everything is fine in Maharashtra," he said.

Azmi handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to Bimala Devi, whose husband Vinod Singh was killed in February during the campaign against migrants. Singh was working with Jindal Polyfilm Ltd and got killed in a stone pelting incident in Igatpuri near Nashik.