UP govt ‘stubborn like a child’, should observe ‘raj dharma’: Dr Kafeel Khan after release from jail

After being released from Mathura jail following the Allahabad High Court, Dr Kafeel Khan on Wednesday accused the Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh of not doing ‘raj dharma‘. Khan, who was released from the jail at midnight, said the government was indulging in ‘baal hatth‘ (child-like stubbornness) and also expressed apprehension that he could be framed in another case.

“I will always remain thankful to all my well-wishers, who raised their voice for my release. The administration was not ready for release, but because of the prayers (duaa) of people, I have been released,” news agency PTI quoted Dr Kafeel Khan, as saying after walking out of the jail.

“In Ramayana, Maharshi Valmiki had said that the Raja (king) should act for ‘Raj Dharma’. In UP the ‘Raja’ is not doing ‘Raj Dharma’ but is doing ‘Baal Hatth’ (being stubborn like a child),” he added.

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday had quashed Khan’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and ordered his immediate release. He was jailed in January for allegedly delivering a provocative speech at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests in December, 2019.

Kafeel Khan, who worked as a paediatrician at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College, hit the headlines in 2017 after the deaths of several kids at the hospital due to lack of oxygen. He was hailed initially for arranging oxygen, however, he along with nine other doctors, and staff of the hospital faced action later. Later, Dr Kafeel Khan was cleared of majority of charges following a probe by the state government.