BSP MP Danish Ali on Saturday said the speed at which Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was disqualified as an MLA after his conviction by a court in a hate speech case "reeks of vendetta politics". He also alleged that legislators with much more serious charges have gone scot-free and continue to occupy public offices. The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat announced Khan's disqualification from the House on Friday, a day after the Rampur MP-MLA court sentenced him to three years in jail in the hate speech case.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Principal Secretary of UP Legislative Assembly Pradeep Dubey said the assembly secretariat has declared the Rampur Sadar Assembly seat vacant. "The speed with which Azam Khan was disqualified as an MLA after his conviction by a lower court reeks of vendetta politics. Legislators with much more serious charges have gone scot-free and continue to occupy public offices," Ali said in a tweet.


"Yet to see implementation of much-hyped 'Ek Vidhan'," the MP from Amroha said. Ali had voiced support for Khan on Thursday as well, saying that while all hate mongers are roaming free, "Azams" will be convicted and thrown out of legislatures.


The Representation of the People Act says that anyone sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified "from the date of such conviction" and shall remain disqualified for another six years after serving time in jail.


The case against Khan was registered in April 2019 for levelling serious allegations against administrative officials posted in Rampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during an election meeting.