UP governor unhappy over Azam Khan's diatribe

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, in a strongly worded letter to state assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, on Friday questioned the efficiency of state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan to remain in his position.

In the letter, written in the light of the ongoing war of words between the Raj Bhawan and Khan, Governor Naik has questioned the recent remarks of Azam Khan in the state assembly, of which unedited copies and transcripts he (Naik) had sought.

"The fact that more than 33 percent of the statement made by him has been expunged shows that the behaviour and utterances of the minister do not behove his office and that the remaks were uncharitable," the governor has observed.

The terse letter also goes on to say that the governor would discuss the continuance of the minister in his present capacity as parliamentary affairs minister.

Naik also took an indirect dig at the Speaker Pandey, who had also made a comment on the Raj Bhawan on not giving consent on some Bills, as alleged by Azam Khan.

"I would be happy to meet you personally over this matter to take it up further" Naik said in the letter.

The letter is expected to raise political temperatures in the state politics.

Khan has usually hurt the Raj Bhawan with his direct attack and insinuations on Naik but so far the governor had refused to be drawn into the slang match.

He, however, took offence recently after Khan attacked him on the floor of the House, alleging he was acting as 'an agent of the BJP', of which he was once a member.

Governor Naik then asked for unedited copies of Azam Khan's speech.