Hans News Service Rampur

SamajwadiParty supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met jailed senior party leader Azam Khan in the Rampur district jail and alleged that no political family had faced as much injustice as Khan’s family. Last year in November, Khan was convicted along with his son, Abdullah Azam Khan, by a Rampur court in dual/fraudulent PAN card cases related to mismatched dates of birth and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Yadav, who arrived in Rampur by helicopter, was received at the Jauhar University helipad by Khan’s family members and party workers before proceeding to the district jail to meet the veteran leader.

Yadav accused the BJP government of pursuing a political vendetta against Khan and alleged that it had lodged false cases against him. “No political family has faced as much injustice as Azam Khan’s family,” Yadav said. On whether he had discussed the Rampur Assembly seat with Khan, Yadav said he had held a lengthy conversation with Khan on all 403 seats and also discussed a list of suggestions received from the party’s alliance partners regarding the elections. Replying to a question, Yadav said that Khan had not sought any Assembly seat but had offered suggestions, which had been noted. When asked whom the SP would field from the Rampur Assembly constituency, Yadav declined to disclose the name, saying, “Why should we reveal that now?” Invoking the idea of Ram Rajya, Yadav alleged that the spirit of justice and fairness associated with it is being undermined here. “The spirit of Ram Rajya that once prevailed in a place like Rampur has been crushed. The very name of the place is Rampur, and who would know better than you how the spirit of Ram Rajya is being suppressed and destroyed here?”

“Falsecases do not have the strength to keep the truth imprisoned. It may take time, there may be some delay, but the truth cannot be held captive in false cases,” he said. Yadav also accused the BJP government of undermining education and damaging the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, an institution associated with Khan. He alleged that a conspiracy had been hatched to destroy the university, which he said was envisioned as a centre of education and an opportunity for young people to build their future.