RSS will anoint Jaya Prada with its blood

Interview / Azam Khan

Neerja Chowdhury | New Delhi | 11 May 2009 |

Azam Khan is not only the Muslim face of the Samajwadi Party (SP) but one of its founders along with party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. With the entry of SP’s poster boy Amar Singh, Azam Khan has been upstaged. It finally boiled down to a battle of the turf when Azam Khan refused to back the party’s actor-turned politician Jaya Prada from his Rampur base. The Amar-Azam battle is waiting to come to a head, post elections. Neerja Chowdhury spoke to the man. Excerpts:

CURRENT: Last time you had backed Jaya Prada in Rampur and it was said that your total support to her gave her a victory with a big margin. This time, she does not seem to have your support?
Azam Khan:
(Sarcastically) Unka jeeta hua election hai. RSS Bajrang dal angootha kaat kar tilak lagayenge. (Victory is hers for the asking – the RSS will anoint her with its blood).

I have said that their (Jaya Prada’s) budget for this election is Rs 100 crore but now it will go beyond that. Hamari behen hain. Bhai chunav tak bachega ki nahin, (She is my sister, but whether her brother will live till the elections, who knows?). All my opponents, mere jaani dushman, have joined her. They are the madadgaars (helpers) of my sister. The people whose help she is seeking have many a time given my supari (order to kill).

I have won seven elections from Rampur city. No other leader has this record. I did not allow crime to flourish here. Nobody used to dare snatch the chain of a woman when I was minister (which is happening today). Rampur was known for its zero-crime rate!

The day parcha bhara (she filed her nomination papers) there was a reduction sale on there.

My opponents were brought with Rs 50 lakhs; Rs 1 crore. The election was decided that day.

I have been told by the party to stay away from the election process. The party unit has been dissolved here.  Jaya Prada is a big name. But that is not our issue. Our issue is only Kalyan Singh.

Why are you opposing an alignment with Kalyan Singh this time? After all, he has aligned with you in the past also?
The country was introduced to RDX and AK 47s on Dec 6, 1992 and we have to thank Kalyan Singh for it. You may call me an idiot, but all I am saying is if Kalyan Singh is secular, then Narendra Modi and LK Advani cannot be called communal.

What does Mulayam Singh Yadav have to say to this?
Netaji does not say anything. This was not Mulayam Singh’s decision. Meri kisi baat ka kisi ke paas jawab nahin.  Vaicharik matbhed ki baat hai. (There is no answer to my question. There is a difference of opinion). I am one of the founders of my party and presented its constitution.

It is said that you were offered the Lok Sabha ticket from Rampur but you refused.
I had said to the party two years ago to change the candidate. I had suggested that a Hindu candidate be fielded from here; let it be a secular election. After delimitation, when Thakurdwar went out, Rampur has become a 55% Muslim and 45% Hindu constituency. But in between, the Kalyan Singh issue came up.

What are you going to tell your voters to do?
I am not saying anything. I am not saying don’t vote SP. I am going to take out a padayatra and urge people to vote for whoever they want to.

Jaya Prada has alleged that a very low level campaign has been mounted against her. That posters showing her as unclad were distributed through the constituency by her opponents?
Those are pictures which have been taken out of her films. Those are not computer generated photos. That is considered art. Burra maanne ki kya baat hai? But had it been a local girl, there would have been a riot.  She must remember that Rampur ki seat is not the set of a film where she can act as the behen (sister), mother, wife, sautan (the other woman) all in one film.

Last time she had a lead of 67,000 from Rampur city alone (represented by Azam Khan). She has not spent Rs 67 here. Rs 2 crores have lapsed of her MPLAd scheme. (Left to themselves) People would not have allowed her to file her nomination papers. Log hisaab mangenge.  Maain mission par hoon. (People will ask questions. I am on a mission). I told Mulayam Singh two years ago not to field her in the election.

It is said the Muslims are moving away from the SP?
Musalmaan pareshan hai UP maen.Unka dil toota hua hai.He is having to hear that usne (Kalyan Singh) masjid nahin girayi. (Muslims in UP are harassed. They have to hear that Kalyan was not responsible for the demolition); They have suffered a sadma (shock). Unki rooh ko taqleef pahunchi hai. The Muslim turnout is going to be very low in this election. The poll percentage in Rampur will go down; people will not go out to vote.  

Katal hue hum, masjid tooti humari, lekin maaf kar rahin hain Jaya Pradaji. (We were killed. We lost are mosque. But Jaya Prada is doing the forgiving).

You are obviously unhappy with the way the party is functioning. Are you planning to leave the party? It is said you are talking to the Congress?
I will not leave the party till buniyad ka pathar gir naa jaye. Buniyad ki eent nahin girti jab tak imarat gir na jaye. Hum itni aasani se nahin marenge.

( I will not leave the party until the foundations have collapsed. I will not give up so easily).

Laga ke dekh, le jaa hisab aata ho, Mujhe ghata ke tu ginti maen nahin reh sakta.

(In the final analysis, by eliminating me, you too will not remain).