Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav rescheduled his visit to Rampur after the district administration cited security reasons due to Moharram and Ganesh Visarjan and Section 144 was imposed. The former UP chief minister confirmed that he was rescheduling, not cancelling his visit.
Yadav was set to visit Rampur to express solidarity with embattled MP Azam Khan after his father and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh called for a state-wide stir over state government targeting the lawmaker.
Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav said, “I had to go to Rampur today via Sitapur, Shahjahanpur and Bareilly. I had to meet SP MLA Abdullah and SP workers in Rampur. The programme was well defined and minute to minute details were provided to the Rampur administration. But the administration turned down my request to arrange my stay at PWD Guest House citing security concerns because of Moharram procession and Ganesh Visarjan.”
“So, I would like to make it clear that I am rescheduling my visit to Rampur for two days and now I will be in Rampur on 13th and 14th September. I hope this will give ample time to the district administration for making security arrangements. I am sending my entire schedule to the Rampur district administration today itself,” he added.
Meanwhile, speaking to News18, District Magistrate Rampur Anjaney Kumar Singh said, “There was a request for dharna on 11th by a local SP leader. Akhilesh Yadav in person never asked for any permission. Nobody is stopping anyone from coming to Rampur. Our only concern is that it is time for Muharram procession and Ganesh Visarjan."
He further explained that many people from outside would accompany Yadav, which might lead to an unwanted situation.
"Section 144 has already been imposed in Rampur," he added.
Faisal Khan Lala, vice president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee minority cell and in-charge of the Bareilly zone shot off a letter to the governor and the chief minister, alleging that the Yadav's visit to Rampur is a conspiracy and part of Azam Khan's politics, which is entirely communal.
Lala further wrote that the party chief's arrival in Rampur may hamper peace and brotherhood in the town, demanding that he is stopped from reaching there.
On September 3, Mulayam Singh Yadav, while addressing a press conference in Lucknow, said that the government was unnecessarily targeting Khan adding, "He has always fought for the poor people and is a national level leader now. Azam is one man who cannot take anyone’s single penny.”
Azam Khan is charged with as many as 27 cases of allegedly grabbing land from poor farmers for building the Mohammed Ali Jauhar University. Moreover, investigation in a case of book theft has found hundreds of books stolen from a 250-year-old madrasa at the university.
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