SP leader dismissed after he demands Rajya Sabha seat for Menon’s widow

Samajwadi Party on Saturday dismissed party leader Mohammed Farooq Ghosi as the Maharashtra SP unit vice president after he recommended the name of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon’s wife for Rajya Sabha. Ghosi had written a letter to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav requesting him to nominate Yakub Memon’s widow to Rajya Sabha.
“The court punished Yakub Memon but his wife and daughter are innocent. I have written to Mulayamji to make her wife an MP,” Farooq Ghosi told ANI. “Mulayamji has always stood for the Muslims and the poor people of the society so this will send a good message,” Farooq Ghosi added.

In the controversial letter Ghosi had described Raheen (Menon’s widow) as “helpless”. “Raheen was in jail for many years. How much she would have suffered.. Today I find Raheen helpless and there are many such Muslims in the country who find themselves helpless and for whom we have to fight for. We should make Raheen a Rajya Sabha MP and make her the voice of weak and helpless people,” Ghosi said in a letter to the SP supremo.

State party president Abu Asim Azmi, however, distanced himself from the matter, saying that an explanation will be sought from Ghosi on the content of his letter.
“He (Ghosi) has not consulted the party before making irresponsible comments. He has written the letter in his personal capacity. He will be asked to explain his stand, following which necessary action will be taken against him,” Azmi told PTI.