Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, after his release from jail, spoke exclusively to News 24’s Executive Editor, Rajeev Ranjan. The SP leader humbly shared his thoughts on different issues.
Azam Khan said that if any act of injustice by him against anyone is ever proven, he would take responsibility for all the related allegations. However, if any injustice was committed through his pen in the name of caste or religion, then he did not deserve to be forgiven. He added that he could never commit cruelty.
‘Even today, two-and-a-half feet of water enters my house’
Responding to allegations, Azam Khan said that a few people take bribes so they can live lavishly, but he lives in a room that is mostly dark, without ventilation, and during the rains, nearly two-and-a-half feet enters his house. He said that in his 50 years of political life, he has not been able to build even a single room in Lucknow. He added that despite several raids by the ED, CBI, and IT, he was not guilty of possessing even an inch of benami assets, money, or land.
On the issue of land accusations, he said that people from his own religion had grabbed the land, and he had asked them to return it.
‘I never said that I was disrespected in SP’
Speaking about Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Azam Khan clarified that he never said he was not respected in the party. He added that respect is a mutual matter — just as he received it, he too must have given respect at some point. He said he never complained about what he did or did not get, adding that he was fully aware of the circumstances, what they were, and what they could be.
‘HM should disclose how many cases have been registered’
Reacting to a statement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Azam Khan said the minister must speak the whole truth, as half-truths are always dangerous. He noted that he is facing 114 cases, his wife 85 cases, and his son 50 cases. He further said that several cases had also been filed against his brother and other relatives. If there had only been one or two cases, he might have been released from jail much earlier.
‘People will remember how much injustice was done to this person’
When asked if building Jauhar University had turned into a grave for him, Khan replied that one day he had to go to the grave anyway. He said people would remember the injustice done to him. He added that children had received good marks in the school he built. Sarcastically, he remarked that while he did not build a good house for himself, he has built a great grave.
