Maverick Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan caused yet another national outrage by insinuating that Indian Army jawans were involved in rape wherever they were deployed for anti-insurgency operations.
“Indian Army jawans are involved in incidents of rape in the north-east where they are engaged in anti-insurgency operations,’’ said Khan while addressing a party meeting in Rampur.
Known for suffering foot-in-mouth disease, Khan included even those states where the Army has never been deployed. He said Army jawans were involved in rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunchal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tripura. Ironically, in the last three sattes, the Army has never been deployed.
To buttress his weird claim, Khan said, “Armed women in these states retaliated and killed the jawans and also chopped off their genitals. They did not touch the hands, wrist or limbs but only that party which they hated most.’’
The SP leader claimed that retaliation by the women has sent a very strong message across the world and the entire country should be ashamed of this.
Targeting the BJP, Khan said, “After independence, the Constituent Assembly had decided that India will be governed by the rule book called Constitution. But now, some political forces are favouring bullet over the ballot.”
Son after political leaders cuting across party lines condemned the statement of Azam Khan and demanded action against the SP leader for spitting venom on the Indian Army to malign and demoralise the jawans fighting relentlessly against cross-border terrorism.
State BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the statement of Azam Khan was an effort to demoralise the Indian soldiers fighting in Kashmir.
“Khan never treated India as his own country. Dirty allegations by him against the Indian Army only betrays his narrow mindset. The SP leader is playing into the hands of the enemy country by spreading hatred against the Army,’’ charged the BJP leader.
“Khan is in the habit of making statements in favour of Pakistan aiming to with damaging the social fabric of this country. It has become a fashion to malign the Indian Army in the name of freedom of expression,’’ said Pathak.
State Congress vice-president Media Cell chief Satyadeo Tripathi
too came down heavily against Khan for his comment and said, ”Such comment was unwarranted by a leader. Congress and its leaders have full faith on the Indian Army and respect their nvaluable contribution towards the country. Action must be initiated against Khan,“ said the Congress leader.
However, the Samajwadi Party refused to comment on the issue. SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary feigned ignorance saying he was not aware of such a statement made by Azam Khan.