BY MOHAMMAD TARIQUE SALEEM
Samajwadi Party national president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday launched a sharp political attack on the BJP government, accusing it of inflicting unprecedented injustice on senior party leader Mohammad Azam Khan and his family. During his visit to Rampur, Yadav met Azam Khan at the district jail before proceeding to his residence to meet members of the veteran leader’s family.
The visit carried considerable political and emotional significance, with Yadav projecting the treatment of Azam Khan as a symbol of what he described as the BJP government’s vindictive politics. Addressing media representatives after meeting the former Cabinet minister, the SP chief alleged that the ruling establishment had crushed the very spirit of Ram Rajya in Rampur through its actions against Azam Khan and his family.
“No political family has faced the level of injustice inflicted upon Mohammad Azam Khan,” Yadav asserted, expressing hope that the senior SP leader would receive justice at the earliest. Reaffirming his solidarity, he declared that Azam Khan had been, remained and would continue to be Azam — a statement intended to underline the veteran leader’s political stature and enduring importance within the Samajwadi Party.
Yadav emphasised that the SP’s relationship with Rampur extended beyond electoral calculations, describing it as a deeply emotional and political bond. He warned that the people of Uttar Pradesh, particularly Rampur, would hold the BJP accountable in the forthcoming Assembly elections for what he characterised as its injustice, oppression and abuse of power.
The SP president also renewed his commitment to social justice and defended the vision behind Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, an institution closely associated with Azam Khan. He described the university as a project intended to advance education, empower young people and create opportunities for students to build their futures.
Yadav accused the BJP government of undermining educational opportunities and playing with the aspirations of the youth. He asserted that Samajwadi Party leaders would continue working to fulfil Azam Khan’s dream of establishing an institution dedicated to learning and social advancement. The university issue remains a politically significant element of the broader confrontation between the SP leadership and the BJP government.
In another pointed attack, Yadav accused the BJP of exploiting religious faith for political purposes. Referring to alleged irregularities involving donations and offerings associated with the Ram temple, he claimed that public contributions had been misappropriated and alleged the involvement of BJP members. These were allegations made by Yadav, and their validity would need to be established through appropriate evidence and investigation. He maintained that the public would not forgive the ruling party if such wrongdoing were proved.
The SP chief also raised concerns over electoral integrity, alleging that fraudulent entries continued to exist in voter lists despite the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Citing the reported case in Pilibhit, he claimed that irregularities were being exposed in different parts of the state. He further stated that the Samajwadi Party had submitted lists covering 100 Assembly constituencies containing what it alleged were millions of bogus votes. Calling for corrective action, Yadav urged the Election Commission to take concrete steps to ensure clean and accurate electoral rolls.
He suggested exploring Aadhaar linkage as a possible measure, subject to applicable legal safeguards and protections for eligible voters. The Rampur visit brought together the SP’s key political themes: solidarity with Azam Khan, social justice, educational empowerment and electoral accountability. With Uttar Pradesh’s next Assembly elections scheduled for 2027, Yadav’s remarks signalled that the treatment of Azam Khan and allegations of voter-list manipulation are likely to remain central to the party’s campaign against the BJP.
