UP minister faces royal fire over remark

They have no kingdoms now, but the ‘‘princes’’ of various estates in Uttar Pradesh are waging a new battle over their hi...

They have no kingdoms now, but the ‘‘princes’’ of various estates in Uttar Pradesh are waging a new battle over their historical legacy. And their enemy is Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan who said they had been a ‘‘dalal’’ (agent) of the British during the freedom struggle.

The scions have now come together to call for the intervention of the President to dismiss the minister.

Khan has repeatedly said a majority of princely estates of UP, especially Varanasi and Rampur, had worked as agents of the British. The statement sparked an uproar — residents of Varanasi called a bandh on Monday while those in Rampur went on a rampage, damaging public property.

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Khan shows no sign of relenting, though. ‘‘I have said that a section of princely estates had worked as dalal of the British and I repeat the same words,’’ Khan said in Rampur yesterday.

‘‘Azam Khan’s statement is childish. He should make himself aware of the history of the freedom movement, only then he will know the sacrifices these estates have made to maintain freedom,’’ said Ranjit Singh Judeo, Congress legislator and a scion of the erstwhile rulers of Samthar estate. ‘‘Former rulers of Varanasi had challenged the forces of Warren Hastings on the streets in 1771, ahead of the first mutiny.’’

Judeo stressed he would be the first to take up the issue with President Abdul Kalam ‘‘if this could help check Azam’s restive tongue’’.

CM Mulayam Singh Yadav’s efforts to downplay Khan’s statement, saying the minister was misquoted, have had little effect. And two days after the CM tried to save him, Khan repeated his statement yesterday.

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‘‘It is a deep-rooted complex against princely families and a negative obsession. Azam Khan is a negative man and I have already lodged a complaint with the ASI for Khan’s recent move to demolish a historic monument, Dilli Darwaza, in Rampur,’’ said Begum Noor Bano, former Congress MP from Rampur and a scion of the Rampur estate.

‘‘I will also be meeting the Governor to highlight the political vendetta on the part of the minister. I have not been approached by others for meeting the President so far but I will have no hesitation if there is any move in this regard.’’

Other estates have spoken up too. ‘‘The only solution to put a check on Azam Khan is to seek the President’s intervention for his dismissal,’’ said Devyani, of the Rehua Birnapur estate in Bahraich district.