UP civic polls: Days after mafia-turned-gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother were shot dead in Prayagraj, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan took a dig at the Uttar Pradesh government during his campaign for the upcoming civic polls in the state. While campaigning in Rampur for civic polls, he asked people whether they want him and his family to be killed in a similar fashion, fearing of being shot dead in a similar manner to Ahmed.
"What do you want from me and my children? Do you want someone to come and shoot us in the head? That's all that is left..., save Nizam-e-Hind, save the law, you don't have to offer anything, you just have to encourage yourself. Sit wherever you get stopped and try to move forward instead of stepping back," he said.
What Azam Khan said?
Khan, who had been suffering from a prolonged illness, returned to the campaign trail for the forthcoming UP municipal elections. "We will cast our vote, it's our birthright but that too is being snatched from us twice, if it gets snatched thrice then you won't even to the right to breathe," he said while referring to disqualification of himself from the House after a court sentenced him to three years in jail in a hate speech case. The case was registered against Khan for levelling serious allegations against administrative officials posted in Rampur, PM and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2019 during an election rally.
Khan campaigned for Samajwadi Party candidate Fatima Zabi, contesting for the presidential post of Rampur municipality. Azam Khan who is well-known for his sarcastic statements attacked BJP led government in both UP and centre and ended up calling his opponents "political eunuchs". "Those who are saying today that the municipality is on contract, they had put the whole country on contract, Red Fort has been sold, airports have been sold, ports have been sold, railways have been sold, what is left? Only the army is left. It's with Hukumat-e-Hind, it should remain. Our army and the government's army are two different things. Our army is yours and we have seen this army fighting at every corner and have won," said Khan.
"'Vazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister) of India has mentioned your Rampur assembly seat in a Hindustan of 150 crore people, this is your status. There is so much fear of you, and this fear is not of any caste, nor of my being a minister, nor of my being an MP or MLA, but it's the fear of our unity and the trust we share. Whatever happened, whether I remain a member of the Legislative Assembly or not, a person who's in his young age, his legislature was abolished twice, mine and Abdullah's (his son) right to vote was were abolished," he further added.
BJP reacts to Khan's remarks
Meanwhile, reacting to Khan's campaign, Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak claimed that the BJP is going to win the upcoming civic polls as people of the state will be voting rising above the politics of religion and the community. "Even Ravana's arrogance did not work, who is Azam Khan? Our candidates are winning as people are in favour of the BJP in the state," Pathak said, adding that the saffron party has already won the Assembly as well as the Parliamentary seat from Rampur.
It should be noted here that the state-wide civic polls are scheduled to take place on May 4 and 11. The counting of votes will take place on May 13.
(With ANI inputs)
