Azam Khan dares Election Commission again

Lucknow, May 1 (IANS) Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Mohd Azam Khan Thursday again targeted the Election Commission, daring it to cancel his membership of the state assembly.

Talking to reporters in Rampur, Khan said he was not afraid of the poll panel and he would never seek mercy from it.

"What else can they do? They are free to do whatsoever they deem fit," he said sounding angry.

"I have done no wrong but find it most objectionable that my freedom of speech and movement has been curtailed by the diktat of the Election Commission."

Azam Khan was banned from addressing public meetings and campaigning for the ruling Samajwadi Party after a series of hate speeches in which he made uncharitable comments on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and spoke about the army on religious lines.

Since then, Azam Khan has been levelling serious charges against the poll panel, calling it dictatorial and "anti-minority".

The Election Commission had imposed a similar ban on BJP general secretary Amit Shah but he apologized after which the poll panel lifted its embargo on his movement and election campaign.