BJP slams Azam Khan for remarks comparing BJYM protest with Parliament attack

LUCKNOW: BJP today slammed Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan for his remarks comparing BJYM protest against deteriorating law and order situation in the state with the terrorist attack on Parliament and said he "must prove his point".

"Azam in his statement in the Assembly has said that BJYM workers (during their yesterday's protest) were armed with petrol bombs and acid bottles. If it is so, then what were the state police and intelligence unit doing?" BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak asked.

"Azam only proved our point that the SP government has failed on the law and order front... If he is saying the truth, then he must disclose how many bombs and arms were recovered to prove his point," he said.

Pathak alleged that the minister raised the issue in the House only to distract the people's attention from the police brutality on unarmed BJYM workers protesting peacefully. Khan said the protest by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists in front of the Assembly was as serious a matter as the terrorist attack on Parliament.

"The attack on the Vidhan Sabha building with bombs, petrol bombs and acid bottles is not just a serious matter but as serious a matter as the terrorist attack on the Parliament House. The security of Chief Minister, Speaker and those in the Vidhan Mandal was at stake," he said in the Assembly.

BJYM activists had yesterday clashed with police during their protest against poor law and order situation in the state in front of Assembly while it was in session, prompting the police to lathicharge and use tear gas shells.