Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has landed in a legal soup for his objectionable remarks against the Indian Army. Two separate police complaints were on Thursday lodged against the former Uttar Pradesh minister for his controversial remarks. On June 27, Khan had kicked up a storm with his remarks that suggested that excesses by security forces had led to "women in some places chopping off the private parts of Army men". His remarks drew sharp reactions from all quarters.
Separate complaints were yesterday filed at Hazratganj and Gautampalli police stations against his statement. The complaint at Hazratganj was lodged by Janki Sharan Pandey. Khan's remarks also triggered protests across Uttar Pradesh today.
In Sambhal, workers of the Hindu Jagran Manch torched Khan's effigy and demanded that he be tried for treason. Similar protests were reported from Chandausi, Jaunpur, Mathura and Lakhimpur Kheri.
Addressing party activists in Rampur, the SP national general secretary referred to "shameful violent incidents" in places such as Kashmir, Tripura, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Khan said excesses by security forces had led to "women in some places chopping off the private parts of Army men". "A fight is going on the border, but at one place, women killed soldiers. They cut off private parts of the soldiers. Generally heads or hands are cut off. But on this occasion, the female terrorists cut off the private parts of the men. They didn't have complaints against the hands, heads or feet. They had complaints specifically against the private parts so they cut and took them off," Khan had said.
The BJP hit out at the SP leader, demanding that Khan's party "sack" him for seeking to "divide the country" on religious lines.
"Azam Khan is attempting to divide the country over and over again. He never considered the Indian Army as his own. Khan, who often politicize the issues of defence has yet again demeaned the Indian Army," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said on Wednesday.
