Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, who suffered a brief detention at Boston airport last week, today said that security officials acted against him because he was a Muslim.
Khan, who returned home yesterday from the US, told reporters that the American establishment can paint any person or nation as criminal and alleged it had been for long targeting Muslim nations and individuals.
"I being a Muslim was harassed and insulted by that country," he said.
Khan was briefly detained at the Boston airport while he was with UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on a trip to the US during which the duo were to address a gathering in Harvard University on the recently-concluded Maha Kumbh.
That speech at Harvard was ultimately boycotted and the UP CM and Khan have returned to India in protest against the "insulting" treatment meted out to the minister.
Khan even cited the US invasion of Iraq as evidence of the country's attitude of religious bias.
Later, talking about the attack on Indian national Sarabjit Singh in a Pakistan prison, Khan said that "Pakistan has insulted Islamic traditions, culture and Holy Koran's directives".
"In the Koran, very specific (rules) are mentioned on behaving with prisoners...I would advise the Islamic country to go through the teachings of Koran," Khan said.
A question on SP's support to the Congress-led UPA government saw Khan making a mention of a third front.
"In case a third front government emerges, we shall be playing a different role which would not suit Congress," Khan said.
