EC to examine Azam Khan's remarks on the Kargil war

New Delhi/Ghaziabad: A major controversy erupted today over Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s remarks on the Kargil conflict with political parties slamming him and seeking action by the Election Commission which is examining the video of the comments.

Election Commission sought details of Khan’s remarks and its officials said “strict action” will be taken if he was found guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct.

Khan, who said yesterday that it was ‘Muslim soldiers’ who had ensured India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil war against Pakistan, stood by his comments and questioned why “others are feeling offended”.

Political parties, including BJP, Congress, JD(U), slammed him for the comments and wanted action by the EC but his party reacted cautiously, saying it could be reflection of some dissatisfaction over “unfulfilled aspirations”.

At the same time, SP spokesman Shivpal Yadav said the party, including Khan, stood as one for the country.

EC officials said they are studying the video of the controversial speech.

“We are examining the 30-minute video speech of Azam Khan on Kargil War and other issues. We have started probe and if he is found guilty, strict action would be taken against him,” said a senior poll official in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP asked the EC to take action, saying his remarks were an “insult to the bravery of the soldiers” and the “communal comment by Azam Khan during the elections shows the politics of communalism”.

Party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “It is an attempt to communalise national security” as the SP leader has “not only maligned the Army but also denigrated the sacrifices of soldiers”.

Trivedi’s colleague Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who led a party delegation to the EC, said it was a matter of “great regret” that “secularism is being sacrificed on the alter of communalism” It is certainly harming the country and the real secular spirit of the nation."

Defending his comments today, Khan said, “I wanted to say what is the contribution of the Muslims for the country. Why others are feeling offended? We sacrifice our lives on the borders, we recapture our hills from the Pakistan army, so why others should feel offended?”

The unperturbed SP leader added that “BJP and RSS have always said that Muslims had no role in the Independence or along the borders. Therefore, I have said what has been the role of the Muslims in the Kargil war. Whats wrong in that? My statement should be welcomed.”

Demanding exemplary action by the EC, BJP said, “The cut-throat competition between the so-called secular parties has reached an extent that it has challenged India’s nationhood.”

Khan’s comments would have a negative impact on security forces responsible for the conduct of elections and the EC must take exemplary action, Trivedi said.

Branding Khan a “scholar” in the use of “poisonous and uncivil” language, Trivedi said Congress, SP and BSP were competing with each other for the “Muslim vote-bank” and their silence over his comments reflected their “divisive” politics.

SP leader senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said Khan would have been pointing towards “pain and neglect” of a section in the society.

“In the army as well as during the freedom struggle all including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were one and fought together and achieved success with the support of all,” he said.

“But when any one section of society is neglected it feels the pain, when the aspirations are not fulfilled they feel the pain. He could have made his thoughts public but the Samajwadi Party, including him (Khan) are one for the nation as well as society,” Yadav said.

Congress spokesman and Union Minister Anand Sharma, while condemning Khan’s remarks as the “most unfortunate”, said “No responsible Indian will make such a statement… Those who died (in the Kargil conflict) were sons of this country and they fought as Indians”.

Insisting that Army cannot be divided on religious and communal lines, Congress leader Sharma said it was for the EC to take cognisance in the matter.

Deploring Khan’s remarks, RSS leader Ram Madhav said there is no need to point out the religion of a soldier as all of them fight as Indians.

“However, some people probably think on those lines (communal lines) and make such kind of statements,” he said. “Kargil war was won by Indians. Indian army comprises of everybody and we should be proud of our pluralist heritage, of our country and our government,” he said.

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said Khan’s statement is an insult to the soldiers and “he wants to be Narendra Modi for Muslims”.

PTI