Akhilesh Yadav defends Azam Khan, says confident EC will lift ban

Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday came out in support of senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan terming that the Election Commission`s ban on Khan, from holding public meetings and rallies in the state, will be lifted soon as it was imposed without understanding his reply. “Election Commission imposed ban without understanding his reply; confident it`ll be lifted,” the UP CM said. The minority affairs minister of UP today stirred fresh controversy by saying that he said nothing wrong about the `Kargil war heroes` and questioned why he should apologise to the EC. Khan had said in a public meeting that the Kargil win was achieved by Muslim soldiers. "Kargil ki pahadiyon ko fateh karne wale Hindu sainik nahin balki Musalmaan they. (Muslim soldiers conquered the hills of Kargil)," he had said. Last week, the EC had banned Azam Khan and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah from holding public meetings, processions or road shows in UP for making `highly inflammatory speeches` in the state during campaigning. The EC had banned Khan for his remarks about Kargil conflict. However, the EC had yesterday allowed Amit Shah to campaign in UP after he assured the poll body that he would not disturb the public tranquillity and law and order. Earlier today, hitting out at the EC for lifting the ban from Shah, Azam Khan today said that he will move the Supreme Court against the poll panel`s order barring him from campaigning in the state. "Can any commission be above the Supreme Court. The Election Commission (EC) has a misunderstanding that its arbitrary powers can`t be challenged in any court," the Samajwadi Party leader said at a press conference in UP. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party today also appealed to the watchdog to reconsider its decision. The SP has not only requested the EC to revert its decision on Shah, but also lift the ban on its senior leader Azam Khan.