Discharged, Chandra Shekhar Aazad alleges govt protecting criminals; police seize car used in attack

The car used by Aazad’s attackers was seized from Miragpur village in Saharanpur late Wednesday night. Its number plate showed it is registered in Haryana, PTI reported, quoting the police.

Aazad’s supporters outside the hospital ward. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)

On Thursday, police in Amethi said they have arrested a man identified as Vimlesh Singh, who allegedly ran a Facebook page — “Kshatriya of Amethi” — where posts threatening Aazad were published. “We have registered a case under Section 66A (sending offensive messages through communication service) of IT Act and Section 506 (criminal intimidation). Further legal action is being taken,” CO, Gauriganj, Mayank Dwivedi said.

Discharged from Saharanpur District Hospital late Thursday afternoon, Aazad slammed the law and order situation in UP and demanded UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s resignation.

There were five people inside the car, including Azad and his younger brother, when they were attacked. (Special Arrangement)

He warned that other leaders can also face similar attacks. “Such incidents can happen with heads of any other political parties, and their supporters, too,” he said in a statement. This, he stated, is due to two reasons: “The law and order situation in UP is getting worse, and the government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion, due to which government-backed criminals are in high spirits.”

Such criminals, he maintained, “neither fear the law nor the police”.

He stated, “Today, India’s democratic values and Babasaheb’s Constitution are both in danger…when government-backed criminals fearlessly roam around…”

Aazad alleged that the government is misusing agencies such as the ED, CBI and Income Tax to curb voices of dissent. “Government-backed criminals have started attacking with guns and bullets to eliminate Opposition leaders. They are forgetting that India’s history is replete with sacrifices…they are forgetting that even today our Bahujan Samaj is working to protect this country by giving their lives on the borders…. I am part of the same society.”

A bullet grazed the abdomen of Aazad, who is president of the Azad Samaj Party, when unidentified assailants fired at his SUV in Saharanpur’s Deoband on Wednesday evening. Aazad had gone there to attend a ritual at a supporter’s home.

“The fatal attack on me is the failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the government’s responsibility. Accepting moral responsibility of giving protection to fearless criminals in the state, the Chief Minister should resign with immediate effect,” he stated.