BJP's U-turn? Party that stood firm against Suryanelli rape case decides to back rape accused Nihal Chand

New Delhi: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked his senior ministers Arun Jaitely and Ravi Shankar Prasad to examine rape allegations against Nihal Chand Meghwal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly decided to fully back the 43-year-old minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers. Notably, this is the same party that had raised a lot of hue and cry in the Suryanelli rape case and had demanded Rajya Sabha Deputy Chirman PJ Kurien's resignation on "moral ground" for his alleged involvement in the case. Citing its sources, CNN-IBN reported, "Nihal Chand explained his position to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. Rajnath is convinced of the defence being offered by Nihal Chand and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has briefed party spokespersons to back him." Defending the minister, who has been issued a notice by a Jaipur court in the sexual assault case, BJP Spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said on Thursday, "There is nothing substantial against him and he is being falsely implicated." She termed the charges against him as "politically motivated". “He (Nihal Chand) has been exonerated by the authorities during the previous Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan after nothing has been found against him. The police is reinvestigating the matter and he is cooperating. As long as there is nothing substantial against him, we cannot take action against him," she said. Lekhi said just as it is wrong to indulge in activities as alleged by the woman, it is equally important that nobody can be falsely implicated either or harrassed like that. "A balance has to be maintained," she said. She said the rape survivor has come up with fresh facts which she did not come up with earlier and unless the other version is heard no action can be taken against him. BJP's Rajasthan unit also defended the leader by saying there was no question of his resignation as it was a conspiracy by Congress leaders. "There is no question of Nihal Chand's resignation as it is Congress leaders' conspiracy," BJP's state unit President Ashok Parnami said at a news conference. In 2011, 17 people, including Nihal Chand, allegedly sexually abused a woman in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar, which falls in Meghwal's constituency. The alleged victim has accused the Union minister of trying to intimidate her into withdrawing the case and has also appealed to the prime minister for justice. "I am getting threats through SMS and phone calls from anonymous number to withdraw the case. Some are even offering me cash and job if I do not utter a single word against Meghwal," she told a press conference on Tuesday. "Those against whom I have filed complaints are influential people and they can do anything to save themselves and Nihal Chand. My life is in danger," she said. (Image: MoS Chemicals and Fertilizers Nihal Chand Meghwal (L) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R))