Azam Khan calls Rahul an 'innocent child' who reads whatever given to him

Says it was Congress which laid the foundation of communal clashes

In remarks laced with sarcasm, SP leader Azam Khan has said Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is an "innocent child" who reads from the dais whatever is given to him in writing.

"Rahul is an innocent child...Though Ramdev too calls him so, but I will call him innocent as he reads whatever is given to him in writing," the UP Cabinet Minister told reporters here last night.

He claimed that Rahul had called saw mills as plywood factories while addressing a rally in the state.

On Rahul's allegation that the SP government is triggering riots, Khan hit back saying "it was Congress which laid the foundation of communal clashes."

"Congress ruled the country for more than 50 years after Independence and it triggered numerous riots," Khan alleged.

Azam, who was here to meet the family of five persons of minority community who were murdered, said that he is satisfied with the working of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Azam said the day he would feel that Akhilesh was not living up to the expectations, he would be the first person to withdraw from the government.

When asked about his recent meeting with controversial Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who was yesterday re-inducted into the UP Cabinet, Khan said he met the MLA as he honours human relationship very much.

Azam said that the meeting turn out to be a boon for Raja Bhaiya as he got Cabinet rank the very next day.

Raja Bhaiya was yesterday re-inducted into the UP Cabinet, seven months after he had to step down in the wake of killing of DSP Zia-ul-Haq in Pratapgarh.

On the objections raised by the DSP wife on re-induction of Raja Bhaiya, Azam said that after the killing she had submitted a 21-point charter of demand and all were accepted.

He said it was on her demand that a CBI inquiry was conducted and Raja Bhaiya was inducted after being given a clean chit by the agency.

He said that the decision to re-induct Raja Bhaiya was of the Chief Minister and was not to please or annoy anyone.