Mayawati Playing Politics Over Hathras Incident, Has No Right to Demand UP CM's Resignation, Says Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

Lucknow, October 3: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday accused Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati of playing politics over the Hathras incident saying she has no right to demand Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation.

Calling the Hathras incident a "blot on humanity", Athawale demanded death sentence for all four accused to provide justice to the victim's family.

"The Hathras incident is a blot on humanity. The accused should be hanged to death and the family should be given justice," the Union Minister told ANI here in Lucknow. Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi, 3 Other Congress Leaders Allowed to Visit Hathras by UP Govt.

"Mayawati is playing politics over the issue. She has no right to demand the resignation of Adityanath," he added. Mayawati had earlier demanded removal of Adityanath as the UP Chief Minister after Hathras incident as she slammed him for the "failure of law and order".

Athawale further targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attempt to visit the Hathras incident victim's family, stating that the Wayanad MP was not manhandled by the Uttar Pradesh Police and he should have not tried to go to Hathras as section 144 is imposed there. Hathras Gangrape: Media Allowed to Enter Victim's Village, SDM Denies Reports of Kin's Mobile Phones Having Been Confiscated.

The 19-year-old woman from the Hathras incident died at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital on September 29. All the four accused in the incident have been arrested.

An uproar has erupted over the incident with the opposition also raising questions over the manner in which the last rites of the woman were performed. The police have said that consent of the family was taken for cremation.