E-Paper
Samajwadi Party reaches out, but its MLA unable to meet unwell Azam Khan in Sitapur jail
The development has further intensified speculation about Azam Khan’s mood towards the Samajwadi Party in the backdrop of several of his supporters’ displeasure with the SP and its president Akhilesh Yadav
Jailed Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan on Sunday did not meet party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra who went to the Sitapur jail.
The development has further intensified speculation about Azam Khan’s mood towards the Samajwadi Party in the backdrop of several of his supporters’ displeasure with the SP and its president Akhilesh Yadav over the supposed “neglect of Azam Khan and Muslims”.
Ravidas Mehrotra’s attempt to meet Azam Khan came just two days after Azam had met Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Yadav who again has fallen out with the SP and his nephew Akhilesh. After meeting Azam on Friday, Shivpal had said that the SP was not doing anything for Azam Khan.
“Of course, we came here to meet Azam Khanji on the instruction of Akhileshji. But we were told that Azam Khan saheb won’t meet for he is unwell. We will again come to meet him. The jail authorities told us that Azam saheb has a high fever and an upset tummy. He can’t meet. We had informed the jail authorities two days in advance that we intend to meet Azam Khan,” said Ravidas Mehrotra, the Lucknow Central MLA of the SP, to journalists outside the Sitapur jail. He had gone there leading a delegation of some Samajwadi Party leaders.
Mehrotra alleged, “The BJP government is continuously suppressing people. Azam Khan might be murdered in jail.”
When asked about Shivpal’s allegation, Mehrotra said: “Netaji (party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav) had spoken to the home minister about Azam Khan. Akhilesh Yadav had campaigned in Rampur for Azam Khan. Azam Khan is a respected and senior SP leader and MLA. He won the elections despite being in jail. The Samajwadi Party will struggle for Azam Khan. We will raise the issue in the Vidhan Sabha also”.
After meeting Azam in Sitapur jail on Friday, Shivpal had said: “I don’t see the Samajwadi Party doing anything for Azam Khan. Had the SP raised the issue in the Lok Sabha or staged a dharna in the Lok Sabha under the leadership of netaji (Mulayam), the Prime Minister would have paid attention to netaji’s words. Everyone in the country knows that the PM listens to netaji.”
Azam Khan, who is now the Rampur MLA, has been imprisoned since September 2019 in connection with 80 criminal cases related to land encroachment and criminal intimidation against him.
