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IT raids on Azam: Vendetta, says Oppn; BJP defends action
The Samajwadi Party (SP) defended Azam, describing him as the ‘voice of truth’. “Azam Khan sahib is the voice of truth and has always worked for a better future for children. That is why he set up the university. He has always fought against communal forces and today we stand united with him,” the SP said in a post put up on X.
Lucknow: Income tax raids on over 30 premises of Samajwadi Party (SP) veteran Azam Khan and those close to him across several locations in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh kicked up political heat with the BJP defending the raids while the opposition alleged political vendetta.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) defended Azam, describing him as the ‘voice of truth’.
“Azam Khan sahib is the voice of truth and has always worked for a better future for children. That is why he set up the university. He has always fought against communal forces and today we stand united with him,” the SP said in a post put up on X.
“The BJP government must end its dictatorial approach and stop misuse of central forces. It must be remembered that dictators do meet their nemesis. The people will respond to this,” the SP posted soon after the raids began.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said: “The raids and action on opposition leaders would increase with the same intensity with which this government would weaken.”
Sudhakar Singh, the Samajwadi Party leader who won the recent Ghosi by-poll, didn’t say much.
“You know everything (about the raids),” he said to media persons.
Rashtriya Lok Dal spokesman Rohit Agarwal said: “Such vendetta against a senior, respected opposition leader is very unfortunate. This government must remember that nothing lasts forever.”
The ruling party countered the opposition.
Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said: “I don’t think it’s right to question the work of government agencies. Search operations are routinely carried out by agencies like IT and there is always some reason behind such operations. If one is clean and clear, then one shouldn’t fear either.”
UP’s tourism minister Jaivir Singh, who was previously with the Samajwadi Party before he joined the BJP, said the action was undertaken on the basis of specific inputs.
“There is no witch hunt. I think it is unfair to dub it political vendetta either. There have been complaints against him (Azam), and the agencies are doing their job. The opposition claim (regarding witch hunt) is meaningless as they have lost all relevance,” said Singh.
Akash Saxena, the BJP MLA from Rampur (Sadar), also defended the action. “If he (Azam) is innocent, he shouldn’t fear. The point is on multiple occasions he himself had said that his university was worth billions of rupees. Then there is the issue of donations that he claimed to have received for setting up the university. All this is being probed,” Saxena said on phone from Rampur.
Akash has filed over 30 of the total 100 FIRs against Azam Khan since 2017, when a majority BJP government took office after nearly 14 years.
BJP’s Prayagraj MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi said: “In case one feels that the exercise is unjustified, one can always approach the court. I think linking the search operations to politics is not right.”
