FIRs against Azam Khan: Noisy scenes in both houses of UP Legislature

Lucknow, July 23: Both the houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature witnessed unruly scenes on Tuesday as opposition Samajwadi Party charged the state government with attempts to frame its leader Azam Khan in land grabbing cases in Rampur. SP members trooped into the Well of the legislative assembly and raised anti-government slogans, following which the House was adjourned for the day.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the legislative council where SP members walked-out of the House during the Zero Hour, and charged the Adityanath government with attempts to frame its leader Azam Khan in the cases. In the state assembly, the matter was raised through an adjournment notice given by SP member Narendra Verma during the Zero Hour.

Speaking on the admissibility of the notice, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary (Samajwadi Party) alleged of a conspiracy to crush opposition parties in the state. He said FIRs were registered against the Rampur lawmaker almost 12 years later "out of vendetta" to humiliate the Samajwadi Party and the minorities. Chaudhary also suggested that an all-party committee of the House be sent to Rampur to look into the allegations against the former state minister.

In his reply, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna asserted that the cases were registered against Khan as per law. Reading out a detailed report of the district administration of Rampur, he said the land on which the SP leader's Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University has been built, belongs to Dalits.

"If someone sets up an educational institute, it should be welcomed, but if the land of the poor, deprived and labourers is grabbed, it cannot be praised," the minister hit out.

Chaudhary, however, accused Khanna of giving "wrong statements" and said the SP will not allow "victimisation" of opposition leaders.

He also alleged that the local police pressurised the complainants to file cases against Khan and urged Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit to order a probe into the charges. While, the leader of opposition urged the Speaker to allow Abdullah Azam, Khan's son, to speak on the issue, his request was rejected.

The SP members later trooped into the Well of the House and raised anti-government slogans.

PTI