Cong leader invites Azam to join party; explanation sought
PRAYAGRAJ: A local Congress leader has come out in support of senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, who is currently lodged in Sitapur jail, and invited him to join the party.
For this move, the Congress has sought an explanation from the local leader Irshad Ullah, who is the Prayagraj city unit secretary of the party.
According to a poster released by Irshad Ullah, he has invited Khan to join the Congress “which would give him the respect he truly deserves.”
Khan has been in jail since February 2020 in connection with cases lodged against him.
The poster released on social media has the pictures of Azam Khan, Congress general secretary and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam. Acharya Pramod had met Azam Khan in Sitapur Jail recently. The poster also has photos of Irshad Ullah himself and Congress leader Abhay Awasthi.
“I have conveyed my best wishes to Azam Khan and said that if he wants to join the Congress party, then we will welcome him,” the Congress leader said.
He alleged that Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav had failed to stand by Azam Khan.
“We will also go to Sitapur jail to meet Azam Khan who should resign from the SP and join Congress as this is a party where Muslims are always respected,” he said.
On the other hand, Prayagraj district spokesperson of the Congress Haseeb Ahmad said, “The district president has taken the entire issue very seriously and sought an explanation from Irshad Ullah. The Congress is a very disciplined party which does not tolerate such irresponsible acts.”