Azam at it again
30 April 2013
A senior Muslim politician with aggressive oratory skills must be factored in politically in view of the upcoming general elections. Azam knows this well and because of this, his moves appear to be calculated in the present political scenario, writes shantanu mukharji
Senior UP Cabinet Minister Md Azam Khan is in the thick of news these days due to the recent frisking and alleged manhandling incident at the Boston airport. Azam Khan was part of the entourage led by UP Chief Minister, Mr Akhilesh Yadav and others visiting Harvard University to give a presentation on the ‘successful ‘ management in organising the recently held Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad. All the plans to project the success thousands of miles away got washed away when the airport security took more time than necessary to clear Azam Khan.
Azam, the only prominent Muslim face in Samajwadi Party, and ambitious to lead the most populous Indian state one day, took offence to him being frisked and the indifference displayed on part of US officials. Khan also alleged that the Indian Consulate officials present at the airport to receive them looked away when he was being questioned. Seething with anger over the affront, Mr Akhilesh Yadav cancelled the programme in Harvard and has also called off the reception organised by the Indian Consulate in New York meant to be hosted in honour of the UP dignitaries. The visitors are now reported to be returning to Lucknow earlier than scheduled.
The entire episode reeks of politics. It is Congress versus SP. Azam and cohorts want to take maximum mileage out of this development. Azam has gone further accusing Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid of conspiring and collaborating with US security agencies and also with the Indian Consulate in New York to discredit and malign a Muslim leader of UP. The incident has even led to criticism from Azam’s own party colleagues. Minister Devendra Gupta has condemned the hype and the hue and cry created, justifying the security checks, calling them a routine drill. His remarks point towards a note of dissent within the SP as well. Will this issue polarise the party remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, SP has threatened to target Americans visiting UP and protests in Azam’s constituency have already begun. The party wants to make the most of it to keep the Muslim vote bank intact possibly in view to restore its failing image, especially with elections just round the corner.
Having said this, the high-handedness on the part of US airport security cannot be condoned either. They are tactless, indiscreet and overcautious while dealing with Muslims, especially with a Khan. Shahrukh has been a victim more than once. Imran Khan, the Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician too was subject to such treatment. And let’s not forget our former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. It’s a little known fact that once in the early 90s, the then director of the Special Protection Group, a very senior IPS officer, who had gone to the US in connection with PM Narasimha Rao’s visit, was not only detained but handcuffed for a while for being in possession of an authorised firearm.
Some, however, may think, Khan got what he deserved. A minister who in the recent past has not lost opportunities to humiliate others to assert his authority. Case in point, Nirmal Murmu, a low level rail coach attendant, must be deriving immense pleasure from this incident. Remember Murmu was allegedly made to do fifty sit-ups by Azam Khan in December last year, inside the Punjab Mail when the UP minister did not find his bedding properly spread during one of his train journeys. An FIR was also lodged with the Amritsar Railway Police.
An IAS officer was also shouted upon by Azam Khan in Lucknow in full view in August 2012. Losing his cool on some administrative issue, the Minister as shown on the TV, rebuked the officer saying "chup baithiye, badtameez kahin kay"(shut up, you’re misbehaving and being disrespectful). This public servant, belonging to the top civil service, must also be smiling at the Boston incident and can continue smiling with his ilk till the ‘Mahakumbh’ party reaches Lucknow. Whether this incident will tone Khan down is doubtful.
Having handled VVIP security for a majority of my professional life, all I say is, this could have easily been avoided. Mr Akhilesh Yadav and company, proceeding on such a high-profile and much-publicised visit, should have sent a senior officer from UP in advance to be pre-positioned to tie up with the homeland security and the Indian Consulate officials to firm up arrival facilitation. Then perhaps this unpleasant act with wide political implications could be avoided. But maybe, incidents like these go a long way politically ~ helping candidates like Khan. He was expelled from the SP in 2009 for anti-party activities but was re-inducted within a year. A senior Muslim politician with aggressive oratory skills must be factored in politically in the context of the upcoming general elections. Azam knows this well and because of this, his moves appear to be calculated in the current political scenario.
The author is a retired IPS officer of UP cadre
http://thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=454630&catid=39
After Azam Khan detention, UP CM boycotts Harvard lecture
PTI Posted online: Sat Apr 27 2013, 01:19 hrs
New York : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, now in the US, today boycotted the Harvard lecture he was due to deliver in protest against his minister Azam Khan's detention at the Boston airport.
The political members of the delegation from Uttar Pradesh are not attending any of Harvard events in protest, Harvard sources told PTI.
But, the state chief secretary Jawed Usmani will make a presentation on behalf of the Chief Minister, they said.
The Chief Minister and Azam Khan are leaving Boston several hours before their scheduled departure, sources said.
Yadav was invited to deliver a lecture at Harvard University in Boston this evening on the recently held Mahakumbh Mela at Allahabad.
Khan, a senior leader of the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP and also the state Urban Development minister who was accompanying Yadav, was detained for about 10 minutes at the Boston Logan International Airport for "further questioning" on Wednesday after he landed in a scheduled British Airways flight from India.
Meanwhile, the Harvard South Asia Institute in a post on its website said, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, today's 'Harvard without Borders: Mapping the Kumbh Mela' panel speaker will be Shri Jawed Usmani (Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh Government) in place of Shri Akhilesh Yadav (Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh) and Shri Mohammed Azam Khan (Minister of Urban Development, Uttar Pradesh)."
"Shri Usmani will be joined by Prof Diana Eck, Prof Gregg Greenough and Prof Rahul Mehrotra. Prof Tarun Khanna will serve as moderator," it said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-azam-khan-detention-up-cm-boycotts-harvard-lecture/1108212/
Harvard professor Tarun Khanna wants a political role, keen on an ‘unpaid’ role
Ullekh N P, ET Bureau Apr 13, 2013, 05.15AM IST
NEW DELHI: Harvard University professor Tarun Khanna says he will actively consider joining politics, but in an "unpaid" role. He says he had turned down "some feelers" a few years ago.
"I am willing to contribute to public ways at an appropriate juncture," he told ET on the phone.
He, however, didn't disclose further details or indicate any immediate foray into Indian politics where, according to him, the quality of debates is very low. Khanna clarified that he "absolutely and explicitly did not refer to any particular speech".
Khanna also didn't reveal the names of political parties that had approached him. He merely said that "there were many".
Khanna said he is already active in India through organisations such as Aspiring Minds (a business entity that hires people from the disadvantaged section to corporate positions) and PRS Legislative Research, a non-profit organisation, which, according to him, seeks "to improve the quality of democratic discourse in India by providing research input to members of Parliament".
Khanna, Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School and a member of the school's faculty since 1993, didn't go into the logic behind going for an "unpaid" position, saying it was his choice.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-13/news/38511360_1_tarun-khanna-jorge-paulo-lemann-professor-political-parties