UP Governor questions abilities of Azam Khan

Taking strong exception to senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan’s comments against him in the Assembly, Governor Ram Naik has questioned his abilities as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and said he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister. The Governor, after going through the CD and script of the remarks made by Khan on the floor of the House during discussions on March 8, today wrote to Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.

“After going through the edited and unedited copies, it is clear that of the 60-line typed comments of Azam Khan against the Governor, 20 lines have been removed. Removal of 33 per cent lines of Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s statement shows that his language was not in keeping with the dignity, decorum and traditions of the House,” Naik said in the letter.

“Azam Khan’s statement in the House poses a question mark on his capabilities as parliamentary affairs minister...whether he is fit for the post. I will have to deliberate on this issue with the chief minister,” he said.

In a bitter remark in the Assembly, Khan had accused the Governor of stalling several bills by not giving his assent and alleged it was giving an impression that he was working under the “influence of a party”.

“A Bill (UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015) is pending with the Governor for over one year through which Mayors could be removed for financial irregularities. The Governor has stalled the Bill giving an impression that he is working under influence of a party,” Khan had said in the House on March 8.

Thanking the Speaker for his statement in the House that it was the right of the Governor to stop any bill, Naik said he also welcomed the Speaker’s assurance of conveying Khan’s views in person to the Governor for which he can meet him at the earliest.

With regard to the Speaker’s view that Governor should seriously think on issues related to peoples welfare, Naik pointed out that he was always serious on issues concerning people’s welfare. The Governor also sent a copy of the letter to the Chief Minister for his cognisance.