Amid Dr. Kafeel Khan's prolonged incarceration, Priyanka Vadra demands justice from UP CM

On Thursday, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, urging him to ensure justice for Dr.Kafeel Khan. Khan was one of the accused in a case involving the deaths of several children due to disruption in the supply of oxygen at a Gorakhpur hospital in August 2017. He was again arrested by the UP Special Task Force from Mumbai on January 29 for allegedly giving a provocative speech at the open talk in the Aligarh Muslim University on December 13, 2019.

In her letter, Vadra mentioned that Khan had already languished for more than 450 days in prison. She opined that he had selflessly served the people in the most difficult circumstances. On this occasion, Vadra expressed hope that Adityanath would show his sensitivity in this case. To convince him further, she quoted Hindu saint Guru Gorakhnath's preaching- 'Do not discriminate against anyone. Talk in a sweet language. If the person in front of you is burning like fire, you calm him down by becoming water'. 

Read: Shabista Khan Alleges Threat To Husband Kafeel Khan In UP Jail, Requests HC For Protection

Here is the letter to the UP CM: 

Read: Yogi Govt Slaps NSA Against Dr. Kafeel Khan For Alleged Inflammatory Anti-CAA Speech

NSA charges slapped against Kafeel Khan

As per the Aligarh Police FIR, Kafeel Khan reportedly stated that the BJP leadership was teaching everyone to adhere to their religion first, rather than becoming good human beings. Alleging that the Citizenship Amendment Bill rendered Muslims as second-class citizens, he purportedly claimed that they would be harassed after the implementation of the National Register of Citizens. Khan, according to the FIR, said that the people had to fight as it was a matter of their existence and argued that the students in the RSS school were being taught to identify certain people as terrorists.  

Section 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) was included in the FIR. After being taken to Aligarh, he was sent to Mathura jail. Despite being granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Aligarh, Dr. Kafeel Khan’s release from the jail was delayed. Subsequently, he continued to languish in prison as National Security Act charges were slapped against him.  

Read: Kafeel Khan Remanded To Judicial Custody, Transferred To Mathura Jail