Muzaffarnagar riots: Akhilesh 'bowed' before Azam, says Maneka Gandhi

BADAUN (UP): Attacking the SP government over the Muzaffarnagar riots, BJP MP Maneka Gandhi today said party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had "bowed" before UP Cabinet Minister Azam Khan.


"Both father and son have bowed in front of Azam Khan and his likes...this should be taken note of by people," Maneka told reporters here on a question regarding Khan's alleged involvement in the Muzaffarnagar riots.

"Azam will damage the state with his language," Maneka said, adding that dividing communities was not right and the state was "fed up with this discrimination."

A TV channel had aired a sting operation showing alleged political interference in functioning of police during the Muzaffarnagar riots.

The BJP leader said she would contest forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Pilibhit.

On a question regarding BJP leaders being prevented from visiting riot-hit Muzaffarnagar, Maneka said "resentment of the people would increase with this".

BJP chief Rajnath Singh and party leader Uma Bharati were stopped from visiting Muzaffarnagar, while BJP MP Varun Gandhi was not allowed to visit Agra.

She alleged that by sending BJP leaders to jail (for alleged involvement in the riots), the government had flared the situation.

Attacking the UPA government, she alleged that a free-for-all like situation prevailed.

"Make anyone managing director of any company, whether he knows the job or not, make anyone vice-chancellor of an institute irrespective of the fact whether he is not even a graduate," she said.

Maneka alleged that all the bills passed in the country in the last five years were passed under the influence of US.

On a question of proposed inquiry against former chief of Army staff V K Singh and Yoga guru Ramdev being questioned at Heathrow airport, she alleged it was a "dirty conspiracy".

"The energy and time Congress spent on working against Narendra Modi and his well wishers in the last few years, if the same force would have been used against Pakistan, victory would have been achieved," she said.

Maneka said there were continuous intrusions by China and Bangladesh, "but Congress is not concerned about the country".

The BJP leader said she would contest forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Pilibhit, but her connect with the people of Aonla and Badaun would remain intact.