Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav speaks to media outside the Rampur district jail, on October 22, 2026. Picture: X/@yadavakhilesh Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav met party leader Azam Khan in Rampur district Jail on Thursday (October 22, 2026).

Mr. Yadav accused the BJP Government of filing false cases against Mr.

Khan and added that no family, particularly no political family, has faced as much injustice as Mr. Khan’s kin.

Mr. Yadav vowed to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.“I came to meet Azam Saheb, and proclaim our respect for him.

False cases have been filed against him and his family. . The BJP is responsible for this injustice.

But they cannot imprison the truth, even those who plot against him are locked in a prison of their own minds, haunted by the constant fear that tomorrow, when the truth emerges, they will face the consequences of their actions. They agonize constantly thinking about the punishment to come,” said Mr.

Yadav, speaking to reporters outside the jail.The SP chief said, “Corrupt officials and false cases are two key weapons of the BJP government and administration. Whenever the history of BJP injustice is written, Rampur’s name will appear at the top.

The conspiracy to close Jauhar University is actually a plot to snatch the right to education from the PDA. Those who closed thousands of schools would certainly not spare a university!

These narrow-minded, negative BJP members are against the poor.”Prolonged judicial custodyDespite being held in prolonged judicial custody, Mr. Khan, a ten-term former MLA from Rampur, remains a pivotal figure for the party in Rampur and adjoining areas and is considered a leading SP leader from the Muslim community.

Recently, the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) issued an order to demolish 38 of the 40 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University — which is run by Azam Khan — alleging illegal construction. Amid an uproar, the proposed demolition was halted, and the matter is pending in the Divisional Commissioner’s Court.The SP added that the meeting highlighted the BJP’s campaign against Azam Khan because of his religious identity and political clout. “Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav’s visit to Rampur jail is important in many ways, it reiterated the importance of Azam Khan in the Samajwadi Party hierarchy.

It is a reply to those leaders who are trying to reduce Azam Khan as a Muslim leader. It also lays bare the BJP’s design to keep Azam Khan in jail on fabricated charges while the demolition order also exposes the Yogi Govt.’s aversion towards Education,” said Sudhir Panwar, a senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader.

Published - October 22, 2026 11:17 pm IST