Azam differs,takes on Ramdev

“Fighting corruption has been one of the main agendas of (Samajwadi) party since its foundation… A new agitation has begun to counter corruption…Can Ritambhara or Ashok Singhal remove corruption? or the BJP,whose national president was caught on camera accepting bribe? Never,” Khan said.

Khan was addressing the national convention of the party in Agra in presence of president Mulayam Singh Yadav and the party leadership.

Khan’s remarks hold significance in wake of the party’s entire top brass — president Mulayam Singh Yadav,vice-president Brijbhushan Tiwari and general secretary Mohan Singh — offering unflinching support to Ramdev,ignoring Sadhvi Ritambhara’s collaboration with Ramdev. Ritambhara is one of the accused in the Babri demolition case.

Speaking ahead of Khan,both Tiwari and Singh supported Ramdev. But Khan maintained a dischordant note and came down against Ramdev’s plan to raise an “army” to weed out corruption.

“Just now I watched Ramdev announcing his decision to raise an armed force. This is not proper for a democracy,” Khan said,asking party cadres and the leadership not to support Ramdev,indicating differences within the party over the issue.

State-general secretary,Om Prakash Singh,dismissed any differences. “The arty is supporting the cause being championed by Ramdev. It criticised the central government for violation of civil liberties by using force against peaceful protesters. Even Azam Khan supports it. There is no difference. We are not condoning the association of saffron elements,” Om Prakash Singh told The Indian Express.

While Khan supported Mulayam Singh’s criticism of the central government’s use of force against Ramdev’s peaceful agitation,he took an indirect swipe at Ramdev for trying to escape in woman’s attire.

Khan,who was re-inducted into the SP last year,asked Muslims not to be lured by small minority-oriented parties such as the Peace Party and Ulema Council as well as the

Congress.