‘Grand alliance needed to protect minority rights’
Days after former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav hinted on forging alliance with other parties to take on BJP, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan too extended support to the idea. “Alliance with other parties is needed to save the rights of the minority community. I will support such alliance,” Azam told HT. “The party may have alliance with political parties led by Mamata ji, Mayawati and other leaders who are striving to secure the better future of the country,” he added.
BAREILLY: Days after former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav hinted on forging alliance with other parties to take on BJP, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan too extended support to the idea.
“Alliance with other parties is needed to save the rights of the minority community. I will support such alliance,” Azam told Hindustan Times. “The party may have alliance with political parties led by Mamata ji (Banerjee), Mayawati and other leaders who are striving to secure the better future of the country,” he added. Criticising the recent crackdown on illegal slaughter houses in the state, Azam Khan said, “Nai sarkar ke samne bahut bade bade kaam hain par uska dhyan bas logon ke gosht par hai (The new government has many big tasks on its hand but it is only concentrating on meat).”
“The government must take steps to stop slaughter both on streets and in slaughter houses,” he said, ostensibly referring to incident of killing of a man by cow vigilantes in Alwar. Though he criticised the state government for crackdown on meat, Khan praised chief minister Yogi Adityanath for forming anti-Romeo squads to prevent harassment of women. “I am in favour of anti-Romeo squads, but these squads should not be limited only to parks. They must also prevent harassment of women on streets and in marketplaces,” said the SP leader . Commenting on the poor performance of his party in the assembly election, Azam Khan said, “The results are a reflection of people mandate and we accept it. We must introspect and find out what mistakes we made.”
Asked about SP’s abysmal result, Azam said, “We suffered losses only in last six months before elections.” On tussle in the Samajwadi Party, he said.
Nai sarkar ke samne bahut bade bade kaam hain par uska dhyan bas logon ke gosht par hai (The new govt has many big tasks on hand but it is only concentrating on meat) AZAM KHAN, SP leader