BJP targeting me for being Muslim, says Nuh riots accused Cong MLA

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, August 31

A day after the Haryana Government approached Punjab and Haryana High Court to seek the cancellation of bail granted to Congress MLA Mamman Khan in the Nuh riots cases, Khan has accused the BJP of targeting him as he is Muslim.

Khan, Congress MLA from Ferozepur Jhirka, in an exclusive conversation with The Tribune said that he was being targeted for being a minority MLA.

Khan was booked not just for inciting violence in his segment, especially the Nagina area, but the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was also slapped on him eventually.

Khan said that while more than 60 people were named in FIRs, including him, and were out on bail, the Haryana Government singled him out as it was scared that he would win in the Vidhan Sabha elections.

“What else do you expect from them? They are targeting me not because I am a political opponent, but a Meo Muslim. They say I attack them in the Vidhan Sabha. Look at Chautalas... What all they say to the BJP, the Speaker, but are they framed? I was innocent and they framed me, harassed me and I will reveal tales of their torture with proof soon,” he said. “They had no evidence against me and I got bail like 60 others, including those accused of murders. However, they targeted me to stop me from fighting elections as they know I will have one of the highest winning margins in Haryana.”

In its plea before the High Court, the Haryana Government described the Congress leader as the kingpin of the violence in Nuh. “Mamman Khan was the main kingpin of the alleged unlawful assembly who instigated and conspired with other co-accused to commit the crime; but all these facts were not taken into consideration by the additional sessions judge, Nuh, while granting him bail on October 18, 2023,” Haryana has contended before the HC.

In its plea seeking the cancellation of bail, the Haryana Government has submitted that in the alleged incident, more than 100 people were injured and some lost their lives, resulting in registration of 61 FIRs.

After hearing the plea, Justice Mahabir Singh Sandhu issued a notice to Khan, seeking his reply on the state’s plea by November 26. Khan was in jail for almost a month before getting bail.

“Check all investigation interrogation reports. There was no evidence to show that I was involved anywhere. I was not even in Nuh that day. My innocence won me my bail and it will win me my acquittal and the elections. I have stood for my people always and will continue to do so,” said Khan.

Violence had erupted in Nuh on July 31, 2023, when which six people lost their lives and there was massive loss of private and public property. The state government had launched a drive after the incident to demolish houses/premises of those allegedly involved in the violence.