“Pragya [Singh] Thakur has insulted [Hemant] Karkare. She has also admitted she demolished Babri Masjid. Will such a person be allowed to represent people and take oath on the Constitution?" asked Samajwadi Party (SP) Maharashtra chief Abu Azmi at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday. He also slammed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for supporting Congress-NCP and asked why Akshay Kumar didn't ask PM Narendra Modi the real questions.
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The Samajwadi Party is contesting the Lok Sabha election in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). SP has fielded four candidates while BSP has fielded the remaining 44. Mr. Azmi said that there is evidence against Ms. Thakur, she was only out of bail and had not been acquitted. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her nomination, saying, “When Modi found out he is not getting through (elections), that is why he has brought Hindutva and brought such a woman who is accused of terrorism. But the world is seeing. A person who broke Babri will be made MP? She will swear by the Constitution? What will happen to this country?” Mr. Azmi also said Karkare was under a lot of pressure during his investigation.
Talking about PM Modi’s interview to actor Akshay Kumar, Mr. Azmi said, “Today you gave interview to Akshay. If you are a man, give interview to Vinod Dua and Ravish Kumar. Then I will think you are a true man. You do setting and give interviews to those who ask your questions.” He also criticised the PM for not holding press conferences.
Speaking on the suspected flaws in the EVMs, he said, "We suspect problems in EVM. There are lots of complaints. When people have so many doubts, Electio Commission should change EVMs. Votes of other parties are going to BJP but there are no complaints the other way round."
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Speaking about the MNS support to the Congress-NCP alliance, he said, “Congress never took action against anyone in the MNS. They wanted to insult north Indians. Mumbai is nobody’s baap ki jagir (personal land).”
Mr. Azmi said that the SP-BSP alliance is an attempt to provide an alternative to the people of Maharashtra, apart from Congress and BJP, who according to him are ‘two sides of the same coin.’ The SP-BSP alliance will also be contesting the Assembly polls together.