SP stands by Azam Khan, protests 'theft' in Ram temple donations

SP MP Harendra Singh Malik defended jailed leader Azam Khan and said the party stands by him. He clarified the protest over the Ram temple issue was not against the temple but against the alleged 'theft' of donations, calling it a 'theft of faith'.

Samajwadi Party MP Harendra Singh Malik on Thursday defended jailed party leader Azam Khan and said the party stands by him, while asserting that the Opposition's protest over the Ram temple donation issue was not against the temple but against what the party alleges was theft of donations.

SP Unites in Support of Azam Khan

Reacting to a reported statement by senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav regarding Azam Khan, Malik said Yadav had only expressed his sentiments and maintained that there was no ambiguity within the Samajwadi Party on the issue. "He has simply expressed his sentiments. In the Samajwadi Party, things are stated plainly and without equivocation," Malik said.

The SP MP said the party condemned the developments surrounding the investigation against Azam Khan and continued to stand with the veteran party leader.

The remarks came a day after Shivpal Singh Yadav met Azam Khan in Rampur District Jail and publicly voiced support for him. During his visit, Shivpal alleged that Khan had faced injustice and said the Samajwadi Party remained with him. Shivpal also raised the issue of the Ram temple donations, alleging that the temple's offerings had been misappropriated and linking the matter to broader political questions.

Protest Over Alleged 'Theft of Donations', Not Ram Temple

Elaborating on the SP's position, Malik said the party was not protesting against the Ram Mandir itself, but against what it described as the alleged theft of donations at the temple. "We are not protesting against the Ram Mandir itself. We are protesting against the theft that occurred at the temple," Malik said.

He said the issue was significant because it involved the sentiments and faith of people associated with the temple. "We are protesting an incident of theft that represents a theft of sentiments and faith," the SP MP said.

Malik further argued that the issue could not be viewed merely as a financial matter because of the significance of the Ram temple in India's political and religious discourse.

He said the matter concerned a site "in whose name the government was formed" and where the trust responsible for the temple was constituted by the Prime Minister. "A site where the trust was constituted by the Prime Minister himself. Naturally, this matter will be raised," Malik said.

Opposition Demands Parliamentary Discussion

The remarks come amid a broader Opposition protest in Parliament over the alleged irregularities concerning donations at the Ram temple. Opposition MPs, including leaders of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, have been demanding that the issue be discussed in Parliament.

The SP has maintained that raising the issue does not amount to opposing the construction or existence of the Ram temple, but is aimed at seeking accountability for alleged financial irregularities involving donations made in the name of the temple.

The party has also continued to back Azam Khan, who is currently incarcerated in connection with legal cases against him. Shivpal's visit to Khan's jail on Wednesday brought renewed attention to the SP's position on the veteran leader. Following the meeting, Shivpal said Khan remained a member of the Samajwadi Party and that the party was standing with him. According to reports, Shivpal also met Khan's family members and visited Maulana Jauhar Ali University during his visit to Rampur.

Malik's remarks indicate that the SP intends to continue raising both issues, its support for Azam Khan and the alleged irregularities concerning Ram temple donations, as part of its political campaign.

The SP MP's comments also come amid heated exchanges between the ruling side and the Opposition in Parliament, with both sides accusing each other of avoiding substantive debate on issues they consider important.

On the Ram temple issue, Malik stressed that the Opposition's objection was specifically to the alleged misuse or theft of donations and not to the religious institution itself.

The SP is expected to continue pressing for a discussion on the matter in Parliament, while reiterating its demand for accountability and transparency in the handling of donations associated with the temple.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)