Azam: Cops harassing voters ahead of Rampur bypoll

MEERUT: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan has accused the police and the district administration in Rampur of harassing people so that they don’t go out to cast their votes in the assembly bypoll scheduled there on December 5.

Azam Khan made the allegation at a press conference on Saturday midnight. Samajwadi Party candidate Asim Raza was present with Khan when he briefed the media.

Azam Khan’s disqualification as an MLA after his conviction in a 2019 hate speech case has caused the bypoll for the Rampur Sadar assembly seat.

Khan, who has won the seat 10 times, said police were directing people to remain inside their homes. “They issued a similar warning to my wife, a former MP,” Khan said. He further said SP president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad would arrive in Rampur to campaign for the SP candidate.

“But, I ask for what are they coming here? Because there is no election here. I will ask Akhilesh Yadav to approach the Election Commission and request them to declare the BJP candidate the winner in the prevailing situation,” Azam Khan said.

Samajwadi Party candidate Asim Raza also accused the police of harassing voters and said that he had given a complaint to the election observer in this regard. He alleged the police were helping BJP candidate and raiding houses of SP supporters to instill a sense of fear among them.