‘Stung’ Azam: I’m innocent
The Opposition, on Wednesday, stepped up its attack on the Akhilesh government following the sting operation aired by a TV channel on Tuesday night that showed that the state government had asked the state police to go slow on the perpetrators of the riots in Muzaffarnagar.
Senior UP minister Mohd Azam Khan who had been indicted in the TV exposé told reporters on Wednesday that he had nothing to do with the officers controlling the Muzaffarnagar riots.
“Such things are not in my in my character and I would prefer to die rather than live such a life. If found guilty, I am ready to face the extreme punishment,’ he said.
He also challenged that his call records and those of the police officers could be checked because he had not made any calls to them. “I am not responsible if someone else calls them up in my name,” he added.
The minister said that there was no need for him to clarify the issue but he would request the channel that aired the sting operation to investigate the charges instead of simply thrusting words into the mouths of the cops shown on TV.
The minister said that this was not the time to reflect on what actions the government took during the riots but it was the duty of everyone to ensure that normalcy is restored in the area at the earliest.
Mr Khan, however, said that the manner in which the sting operation was conducted was highly damaging. “I am a weak person and anyone can catch me by the neck. I have never overstepped my limits or exceeded my brief,” he said.
The sting operation showed the Budhana inspector Rishipal and the inspector of Fughna admitting that they delayed taking action to contain the violence under “political pressure”.
While Budhana inspector Rishipal was sent back to crime branch from where he was brought a day ago, Inspector of Fughana police station was sent to police lines, late on Tuesday night, barely an hour after the sting operation was aired.
However, the UP police later termed the transfers as routine.
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party disrupted the proceedings of the state Assembly for one an hour and 20 minutes on Wednesday, demanding the dismissal of Mr Khan from the council of ministers.
BJP legislators squatted in the well of the house during the period of adjournment and shouted slogans against the ministers. BJP’s leader of the legislature party Hukum Singh — also an accused in the hate speech case in Muzaffarnagar riots — demanded a judicial probe into the riots by a sitting judge to allow the truth to be placed before the people.
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