Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan, known for his frequent barbs against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, surprised MLAs from all parties with unusual ‘gifts’ of a broom and a pen along with a letter asking them to decide which among the two can take on the evils in society.
“I am giving two gifts [pen and broom]. You all should decide which one could eradicate sins in society and which reminds you that you cannot treat society only by slogans,” he said.
Mr. Khan’s gifts are seen as a covert attack on Mr. Modi for his ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’.
The Minister, earlier during the session, attacked the PM on the issue by saying that he had put brooms in people’s hands and taken away pens from them.
A bag, carrying pen, broom and his letter, was sent to legislators after the end of the Assembly session on March 26.
In the letter to MLAs, Mr. Khan also said: “You have seen and tested me. I am not the one people think I am, but the one whom your heart knows. I know you are truthful and realise the truth.”
Commenting on the ‘gifts’, BJP legislator Radha Mohan Das Agarwal said the Prime Minister had given a good message to society by launching the cleanliness drive, which he (Mr. Azam) could not digest.
“By gifting brooms he has only propagated the ideology of the PM,” Mr. Agarwal said.
BSP legislator Ram Prasad Chowdhury said that he had received the ‘gifts’ but he did not see the letter till now as he had left for his constituency after the session was over.
‘Tacit understanding’ The Congress has termed the ‘gifts’ as an admission of a tacit understanding between the SP and the BJP.
“The gift is an admission of an understanding between the SP and the BJP. It seems that he has tried to disclose the understanding through the broom and the pen,” Congress legislator Nadeem Javed said.
