EC working against Congress rivals 'like CBI': Azam Khan

Senior Samajwadi Party minister and the party's Muslim icon Azam Khan has charged the Election Commission with being biased and working on the directives of the UPA regime "like the CBI".

The minister was visibly angry as he spoke to reporters about the ban the EC recently slapped on him. The EC has banned any sort of campaigning by Azam over complaints about his controversial statement that the Kargil war was won by Muslim soldiers.

"The EC is working on the directives of the Centre like the CBI to damage rivals of the Congress Party," he said. Azam pointed out that he had been given time till 5pm on Friday to reply to the EC notice but the Election Commission itself announced the ban order at 2pm that day. "The EC should prove its impartiality," he said.

Azam also alleged that the EC did not take any action against Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh just because he is a Central minister. "Ajit Singh gave communal and inflammatory speeches during his campaign in west UP but while my campaigning has been banned, no action is taken against him. Isn't this bias?" he asked.

"By shutting our mouths and cutting off our tongues, does the EC feel they would stop our message from going out to people all over the country?" he remarked angrily.