URBAN DEVELOPMENT Minister Mohd Azam Khan finally said it. He lamented that Muslims did not reciprocate to the gestures of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government with enough votes in the recent civic poll.
Addressing the inaugural function of Maulana Ali Miyan Baitul Hujjaj (Haj House) here today, Khan said despite several welfare activities for Muslims, the party failed to get adequate support for its mayoral candidate Madhu Gupta in Lucknow.
Attacking Congress mayoral candidate Manzoor Ahmad, he said the former cop had benefited during the Yadav regime. “Had he asked for a ticket we would have considered it,” Khan said. Khan was visibly angry with Muslims for supporting Manzoor Ahmad. Their support pushed the SP nominee to the third place.
Claiming that only the SP was the saviour of Khan said the Congress had only politically exploited them over the years.
Attacking BSP chief Mayawati for her “Muslims-are-fanatics” statement, Khan said her comment implied that those of the community were ‘terrorists’.
The minister said while the Mulayam Government had constructed the Haj house, the Delhi Government failed to take care of Haj pilgrims. Khan said the Delhi Government denied permission to UP for the construction of a Haj House. “The State Government had to shift it to Ghaziabad,” he said, while adding that litigation over the Ghaziabad land would be solved soon.
{{/usCountry}}The minister said while the Mulayam Government had constructed the Haj house, the Delhi Government failed to take care of Haj pilgrims. Khan said the Delhi Government denied permission to UP for the construction of a Haj House. “The State Government had to shift it to Ghaziabad,” he said, while adding that litigation over the Ghaziabad land would be solved soon.
{{/usCountry}}Raking up the Babri demolition issue, Khan said the Congress had insulted Muslims by conducting raids on Nadwatul Uloom and closing down the Aligarh Muslim University. He urged Muslims to recognize the party that stood by the community.
The chief minister also distributed cheques of Rs five lakh each to the kinds of those who had died in the Mina stampede last year.