Police threatening my supporters: Azam Khan

Rampur, Nov 28 (IANS) Samajwadi Pary (SP) leader Mohd Azam Khan is deeply distressed at the "victimisation" of his supporters by the district administration and also the apathy of his own party leaders.

In an informal chat with reporters, the veteran leader said that the district administration and local police "was threatening SP workers and barging into their houses by breaking through doors and misbehaving with female members of their family".

This, he said, was being done to prevent them from casting their votes on December 5 when the by-election will be held on the Rampur Assembly seat.

"The police even threatened my wife and former Rampur MP Tanzeen Fatima and used objectionable language for her," he said.

Azam Khan said that a police team conducted a raid at the house of Mohammed Taalib, a co-accused with the SP leader in Rampur municipal corporation's missing equipment case.

The equipment was recovered from Jauhar University in September this year.

Taalib is absconding in this case and police have filed a charge sheet in the court against him.

"The doors of 50 party workers were broken, and many innocent people were picked up from the streets. They used objectionable language even for women. Such an inhuman and shameful treatment of women does not suit the administration. My wife had gone to see Taalib's elderly mother, who is not well, when the police raided the house in search of him," Azam alleged.

"They have finished my right to vote but I still have the right to seek votes for the party's candidates. I have videos of police atrocities and we will give them to court. I feel I should ask SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to request the Election Commission of India to announce the BJP candidate as winner as there is no election happening here. Our voters are being threatened not to cast their votes, else their houses will be vacated."

Akhilesh Yadav and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary are scheduled to visit Rampur for campaigning in the next two days.

Additional SP (Rampur) Sansar Singh, meanwhile, said that they conducted raids "in search of wanted criminals only".

"It is incorrect that we misbehaved with women. We normally make videos of the raids and we have sufficient evidence and facts," Singh said.

BJP candidate Akash Saxena meanwhile told reporters that "Azam Khan is realising that members of Muslim community, including senior party members, are now favouring the BJP. We have promised them employment and development".

Polling in the Rampur Sadar seat will be held on December 5 and results will be announced three days later on December 8.