AZAMGARH: Firing a fresh salvo against Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, cabinet minister Azam Khan today alleged that there is a "demand from Raj Bhawan" for his dismissal for making comments against Naik in the state Assembly but the latter refuted the claim.
"There is a demand from Raj Bhavan to dismiss me. I want to ask what is my fault. Raj Bhavan has no right to play with democracy," Khan told a gathering in Kannauj in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The Governor, however, said in Azamgarh that "I have never asked for dismissal of the minister (Khan). Journalists draw their own inference. I had sought the CD of the speech from the Speaker in which out of 60 lines 20 lines were removed. It shows that his behaviour was unparliamentary," Naik said.
"The CM should take cognisance of such behaviour as he was present in the House," he added.
On important bills getting held up in Raj Bhawan, Naik said the matter has been taken up with the Speaker and it is also in the knowledge of the Chief Minister.
In a stinging remark in the Assembly, Khan had accused the Governor of stalling several bills by not giving his assent.
Naik had taken strong note of statements made against him in the State Assembly on March 8 and had sought CD and transcript of his speech from the Speaker.
Khan has been engaged in a no-holds-barred war of words with Naik for quite some time, with the minister accusing the Governor of being a "kar sevak" and "vitiating" the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh at the "behest" of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.