Construct toilets instead of temples at Ayodhya, says SP’s Azam Khan

The inauguration of Ala Hazrat Haj House turned into a poll campaign as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and cabinet minister Azam Khan attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

The inauguration of Ala Hazrat Haj House turned into a poll campaign as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and cabinet minister Azam Khan attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

The inauguration of Ala Hazrat Haj House in Ghaziabad turned into a poll campaign as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and cabinet minister Azam Khan attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

“The central government talks about Clean India Campaign but is trying hard to divide the country by constructing a place of worship in Ayodhya. The government should instead construct shauchalaya (toilets) at the controversial place since our country needs more toilets than places of worship,” Khan said.

He alleged that Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013 and lynching of Mohammad Ikhlaq in 2015 were orchestrated by the BJP.

“The BJP will show you riot and rapes, but will never show you those behind the riots and the rapists. This is because it is their people who have done it,” said the 68-year-old leader.

He also claimed that UP stands 24th on a scale of 1-29 for crime rate. “From the first position to the 23rd, it is the BJP ruled states that hold the positions for maximum crime. UP comes at the 24th position,” Khan said.

“The Opposition will say that we are only for Muslims. However, we root for secularism. The national president of our party is a Hindu and he laid the foundation stone for this Haj House. This sends a message all through the country,” he said.

However, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s photo was missing from the hoardings at the venue. The publicity material for the event only had photographs of Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan.

Khan also accused the BJP government of being hypocritical on beef issue. “We Muslims do not have a problem with cows. In fact, since the BJP came to power, beef export has increased steeply,” he said. He said that Akhilesh Yadav is a youth icon and he should be voted back to power.

He also criticised the BSP for spending state fund on statues and parks and not developing the state. He added that the SP government hasn’t touched the statues of elephants put up by the previous government at Noida and Lucknow and they stand as it is.

“Anyone can go and see all the statues put up by the BSP government. Those which were standing are still standing and those which were sitting are still sitting,” he said, hinting that the BSP is out of power and will remain so.