Samajwadi Party calls Election Commission's decision on Amit Shah as ‘unfortunate’

Lucknow: Terming Election Commission's decision to revoke the ban on BJP leader Amit Shah's participation in election campaigning as "unfortunate", Samajwadi Party on Friday said that it was an "injustice" to party leader Mohd Azam Khan.

"The decision of EC to lift ban on Amit Shah's campaigning is unfortunate... It's injustice to our senior leader Mohd Azam Khan. We respect EC… It should reconsider its decision and also lift the ban of Azam", Party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury told PTI.

He said that while Amit Shah was "face of communalism", SP leader Azam Khan is "face of secularism" and should be allowed to campaign. "We have been requesting the commission to reconsider its decision", he added.

Both Shah and Azam were banned by the EC on April 11 from campaigning in the state following their controversial remarks.

On being asked that Shah had assured the poll body that he would not disturb public tranquility and law and order, Chowdhury said that BJP could never be trusted.

"It's the character of BJP that it could not be trusted.... They had given an undertaking in the SC yet Babri mosque was demolished", he said.

While giving Shah a "second chance" the Commission had said that it will "closely monitor" his campaign by constant video tracking by concerned district election authorities.