Hyderabad, Nov. 5 -- Democracy rests on the principle that every citizen is equal before the law, whether a ruler occupying a seat of power or a leader raising their voice among the people. But when the legal system begins to close off every possible avenue of relief for a particular public figure, it raises a troubling question: is this truly the rule of law, or an attempt to isolate a dissenting voice and undermine his standing?

Mohammad Azam Khan, whose voice resonated in Parliament and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for decades, has been behind prison bars. On October 29, when the Allahabad High Court granted him bail by suspending his sentence in a case involving the possession of two PAN cards, many from Rampur to Lucknow h...