As the Samajwadi leader Azam Khan failed to respond to Election Commission of India following his communal remark pertaining to Kargil War, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against him in Ghaziabad on Saturday at Masuri police station.
Meanwhile, Khan was also booked, on Saturday, on charges of inciting communal passions through his election speech in Sambhal. On April 9, in his speech at an election rally, the senior Samajwadi Party leader had allegedly exhorted the electorate to take revenge from the rioters of Muzaffarnagar by pressing the button in the lok Sabha polls.
Interestingly, BJP leader Amit Shah, who along with Khan was, on Friday, barred by the Election Commission from holding public meetings, has also been booked for instigation people to take “revenge” of Muzaffarnagar by pressing button. Block Development Officer (BDO) Satish Pandey lodged the FIR under Section 153A IPC (inciting communal passions through words spoken or written) and 125 (People’s Representation Act), official sources said.
“The country must not be given in the hands of a murderer... The murderers of Muzaffarnagar should be avenged by pressing the button,” Azam Khan had allegedly said in his speech.UP police on Saturday also registered two cases against Narendra Modi’s close aide Amit Shah in Muzaffarnagar for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct following the direction of the Election Commission, which has also banned him from campaigning in the State.
While one case has been registered in Kakroli police station, another has been registered in New Mandi police station against Amit Shah, Additional District Magistrate Indermani Tripathi said.The BJP leader has been accused of making objectionable speeches in Badwar village in Muzaffarnagar on April 4, where he reportedly said said, “If Modi wins, Mullah Mulayam’s Government will fall”.
“Taking a cognisance on the complaint filed over the Minister’s remarks by his opposition contestants to the election commission, it issued a notice to the UP’s influential Minister on April 9, under which he was asked to submit his reply on or before April 12.
As he failed to reply within the stipulated time, a complaint has been lodged to initiate a criminal proceeding against him,” the SDM Sadar Kunal Silku said. Khan during his public speech during elections in the district had claimed that the Kargil war was won by Muslim Army men not by Hindu Armymen.
“The FIR has been registered under section 125 of peoples representatives Act and sections 153 (a), 153 (b), 295 (a) and 505 (2) of IPC along with a section 188 of CrPC, I have a DVD in my possession containing the contents of the Minister’s speech. I will submit the same to the investigation officer when he would demand during the course of the investigation” said Silku.
On the hand, Shah has been booked under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC and 123(3) of Representation of the People Act (relating to appeal by a candidate to vote on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language), he said, adding after checking the videos, his speeches were found objectionable. Tripathi said that the step has been taken on the direction of Election
Commission,on Friday, had asked authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against the leader. The EC had directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that no act of commission or omission is resorted to by Shah that can affect public tranquillity and law and order.
Shah on Saturday said he will urge the EC to review its decision after considering his response, in which he will explain the context of his remarks. “I respect the Election Commission and have not addressed a single meeting since its order,” the BJP general secretary State. Shah, who is BJP’s UP in-charge, has also been booked in Shamli in Bijnore for his “revenge” remarks.