Baranbanki:
Azam Khan, a senior minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, today refused to apologize for the arrests of two farmers who heckled him at a rally earlier this week.
"The media always portrays me as a bad person. So be it," the 60-year-old said in Lucknow today.
On Monday, Mr Khan was addressing a large audience on his home turf in Rampur in western Uttar Pradesh. Two farmers shouted at him during his speech, asking why the government has still not announced the price at which it will buy sugarcane from growers. Mr Khan reprimanded them and abandoned his speech and left the venue mid-way.
Minutes later, the farmers were arrested by the local police and accused of disturbing the peace. They were released six hours later.
Rampur is in the heart of the state's sugarcane belt.
Last month, Mr Khan's staff had sought transfer from his office saying he was abusive towards them.