A fresh case has been lodged against controversial Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan for his alleged hate speech in Shamli district even as he slammed the Election Commission alleging it was acting at the behest of the Congress.
A case was registered against the senior Samjawadi Party leader in Thana Bhawan police station yesterday for his remarks at an election rally in Jalalabad area of the district on April 8, District Magistrate NP Singh told reporters here today.
Khan had allegedly attacked BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying, "his hands are coloured with blood of innocent people and you should never let any such person rule the country."
The case was registered on the direction of the Election Commission after the officials had checked the video footage and found his comments objectionable, he said.
He has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 125 of the Representation of the People(RPA) Act.
Khan told reporters in Rampur that instead of considering his feelings the Election Commission is trying to become like CBI and be a "slave" of the Congress. "Congress was supported by SP for 10 years in stopping the fascist forces, they have decided to harm the SP.
EC's decision to mute my voice and stopping freedom of expression is dangerous for the democracy," he said, adding this is dangerous for the democracy.
Khan also said that the EC should prove itself to be "non-partisan". "Because if it does not give us justice, we will be forced to go to the law of the land."
Ghaziabad police had yesterday booked the close aide of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, for his alleged inflammatory speech over Kargil War.
On April 7, Khan had during his party rally in Muslim- dominated Masuri area, said that victory against Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil conflict was made possible because of Muslim soldiers and not by Hindus.
One case was registered against Khan for inciting communal passions through his election speech on April 9 in Sambhal district of UP.] "The country has not to be given in the hands of a murderer... the murderers of Muzaffarnagar should be avenged by pressing the button," Azam Khan had allegedly said in the speech.
The Election Commission had on April 11 banned him from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh and had asked authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against him. Modi's close aide Amit Shah was also booked by UP police for his alleged revenge speech and banned by the EC from campaigning.