Uttar Pradesh To Reclaim Govt Land Leased at Rs 100/Year To Azam Khan's Jauhar Trust During Samajwadi Party Rule

The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, made a decision on Tuesday (31 October) to reclaim government land allocated to Azam Khan's Jauhar Trust, Live Hindustan reported.

This resolution was reached during a Cabinet meeting at Lok Bhavan in Lucknow, which commenced at 11 am and addressed numerous proposals. According to Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, 21 of the 30 proposals were accepted.

One of the prominent issues under discussion was the withdrawal of land previously allotted to the Jauhar Trust by the former Samajwadi Party (SP) administration.

During the tenure of the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government, the Secondary Education Department's land measuring 41,181 square feet was given to the Jauhar Trust on a 30-year lease at an annual rent of Rs 100.

BJP MLA Akash Saxena had alleged that Azam Khan had transferred the land of Murtaza Vidyalaya into the name of the Jauhar Trust, with the Samajwadi Party's office subsequently being constructed on the land.

In a related development last month, the Income Tax (IT) Department conducted raids at Azam Khan's premises, primarily in connection with the Al Jauhar Trust matter. These raids extended to several districts within the state, including Rampur, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, and Saharanpur.

Azam Khan himself had made statements in January 2023, labeling himself the "messiah of the poor" and accusing the government of subjecting him to harassment.

While appearing in a defamation case at Bandra Court, Khan vehemently asserted his innocence and claimed that the government was intentionally framing him. He contended that everything was being done to cause him trouble and emphasised that he had not committed any crimes.

Khan also highlighted his efforts in establishing a fee-free university for orphans, portraying himself as a champion of the disadvantaged.