When asked about the rape reference in Gandhi’s speech, sitting Pilibhit MLA Sukhlal said he would not like to comment. “He would obviously have some basis for what he has said,” he said.

Ashok Kumar Gupta, Barkheda Nagar Panchayat president, who belongs to the BJP, said “there was no issue of rape in the area.”

Regarding Gandhi’s remark about “persecution,” Gupta said he could be referring to the murder of one Sunil Kumar on October 21. In that case, under the Beesalpur police station, “five unidentified Muslims” were accused.

“When the BJP members staged a protest on October 23, the party’s former MLA Ram Saran Varma was arrested and he is still in jail under National Security Act,” said Gupta. Beesalpur police station in charge Pervez Miyan said that Varma was arrested for damaging shops and forcing their closure.

Meanwhile, there are two other cases pending in the Barkhera police station against Gandhi. On August 1, 2008, bookseller Bharatveer Gangwar lodged a complaint of physical assault by Gandhi and his accomplices.

“They were passing by my house when their car was caught in a pothole. When they noticed the flag of Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan on my shop, they asked me to pull it down. I offered to put up their flag too, but they started abusing and beating me,” Gangwar alleged.

On December 16, 2008, Beeche Maurya lodged an FIR against Gandhi and eight others for beating him up for flying a flag of Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan flag on the terrace of his house. Said the present in-charge of the Barkhera police station P K Dwivedi: “A chargesheet was filed in the first case, a final report has been submitted in the second case.”