Adityanath govt acting as part of political agenda against Mukhtar Ansari, says his brother

BSP MP Afzal Ansari on Tuesday alleged that the Yogi government was acting as part of its political agenda against his brother and BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, presently lodged in a jail in Punjab. Stressing that because of COVID-19 hearings of cases of undertrial prisoners are being held through video conferencing, he alleged that the state government, however, wants to bring Mukhtar Ansari from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh on the pretext of a court hearing as part of a conspiracy to eliminate him.

Afzal Ansari said that his brother had himself expressed apprehension of a threat to his life. Gangster-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari is lodged in a jail in Punjab in connection with an extortion casẹ and the UP police has been trying to bring him to the state for appearance in connection with various cases.

"The Adityanath government neither has faith in the constitutional system of the country, nor in people's verdict," Afzal Ansari, who is an MP from Gazipur, said.

"Mukhtar Ansari is the sitting MLA from Mau and has been elected for the fifth time. This proves how popular he is among the people," he said, adding that for the BJP government Mukhtar Ansari has become a part of its political agenda and they believe that they can benefit from it in the coming assembly elections.

Afzal Ansari said that the affidavit given by the Uttar Pradesh government in the Supreme Court mentions 10 cases against Mukhtar Ansari and claimed that all them were filed with the sole aim of framing him in fake cases. He said his family has full faith in the judicial system of the country and believes that Mukhtar Ansari would be acquitted in all the cases against him. In November last year, the wife of the jailed BSP MLA had written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind demanding security for her family.