New Delhi: Veteran Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has urged the opposition INDIA bloc to give Muslims and Akhilesh Yadav a fair role, warning that excluding Asaduddin Owaisi would damage the alliance’s credibility and weaken minority representation.
In a detailed interview following his release from Sitapur jail, where he spent 23 months facing multiple criminal cases, Khan dismissed the idea of appointing a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh as “symbolic” and “powerless.” He said such posts lack real authority and fail to address the genuine concerns of the state’s 19 percent Muslim population.
“Just wearing a cap does not make one a Muslim,” Khan said, referring to tokenism in political representation. He stressed that Muslims need participation in decision-making, not ceremonial positions.
Khan reaffirmed his close relationship with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, countering claims of a rift. “Relationships aren’t made or broken by visits. Akhilesh visited me multiple times in jail,” he said.
He argued that the INDIA bloc’s exclusion of Owaisi is a “self-inflicted wound” and urged opposition unity grounded in fairness and inclusion. “Muslims are not a vote bank. We have always voted for justice and governance that serves people,” he stated.
Reflecting on his own hardships, Khan described his imprisonment as politically motivated but said he holds no grudge. He now lives modestly with his wife, surviving on pensions after income tax raids left him with little to his name.
Khan’s remarks come as Bihar prepares for elections and Uttar Pradesh heads toward 2027, reigniting debate on Muslim leadership and equitable representation in Indian politics.
