Rampur (Uttar Pradesh): Feared of being shot dead in a similar manner to gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed, Samajwadi Party senior leader Azam Khan, while campaigning in Rampur for civic polls, asked people whether they want him and his family to be killed in a similar fashion.
"What do you want from me and my children? Do you want someone to come and shoot us in 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. Azam Khan who was suffering from a prolonged illness took to the stage after long time to campaign for upcoming civic polls in UP.
"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 election rally.
Azam 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 Azam 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 said further.
Azam Khan was elected MLA from the Rampur Sadar constituency. The state Assembly Secretariat, earlier in October, announced Khan's disqualification from the House after a court sentenced him to three years in jail in a hate speech case. The case was registered against Khan in April 2019 for serious levelling allegations against administrative officials posted in Rampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during an election meeting.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Khan was booked for making inflammatory speeches while addressing a public meeting in Khatanagaria village of the Milak Kotwali area. Earlier Allahabad High Court in May 2022 had granted interim bail to Azam Khan in a matter which was related to a wrongful possession of Waqf board property land. (ANI)
