He added, 'But through her vindictive action, she has proved that she does not believe in democratic values at all and instead her intent was to intimidate the media so that it remains under her thumb.'

Mulayam Singh said: 'I challenge her to take action against me as I still maintain that the Dalit woman was sold away so that her family could get four square meals.'

He also flayed the state Women's Commission for 'manipulating facts in its bid to disprove the report'.

The Women's Commission that took the lead in contradicting the TV expose is headed by the sister of Mayawati's blue-eyed lieutenant Satish Chandra Misra, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s Brahmin mascot.