Centre walking ‘extra mile’ to change views of it being ‘anti-Muslim’: BJP leader


Team Udayavani, Oct 28, 2018, 12:02 PM IST

Kolkata: BJP Minority Morcha national president Abdul Rasheed Ansari has said the party’s government at the Centre is walking the “extra mile” to gain the confidence of minorities and has been successful in changing the perception of it being “anti-Muslim” to a large extent.

The opposition, he alleged, had launched a “fear-mongering campaign” among minorities against the BJP.

The BJP-led NDA government has brought in development without any discrimination but the opposition has set a “separate yardstick” for the party when it came to dealing with minorities.

“Political parties (opposition) have targeted us (BJP) in order to isolate us from the minorities. They had used a fear-mongering campaign among minorities in an attempt to eat into the BJP’s vote-bank. This has been going on for several years. But things have changed of late and you will find the party increasing its base among minorities in various parts of the country,” Ansari told news agency PTI in an interview.

Minorities and backward classes, for the first time, have realised that the BJP, unlike other parties, “delivers rather than making false promises”, he said.

Talking about the recent incidents of lynching in the country, Ansari said the BJP leadership had spoken out against them and action has been taken against culprits. “You have to look at the intention of the government and the party. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have condemned them (lynching). You cannot count on statements made by people, who are either not related to the party or are remotely related to it,” he said.

About the incident where Union minister Jayanta Sinha felicitated eight people accused of lynching in Jharkhand, earlier this year, Ansari contended that the gesture was not appreciated by anyone in the saffron party.

“Has anybody appreciated Jayanta Sinha for felicitating them? It is not expected that Amit Shah ji or the Prime Minister will speak out on a regular basis on every single incident that is happening in the country,” he said.

Asked about poor representation of Muslims in the distribution of tickets by the BJP, he said, “The issue should not be seen through the prism of religion. Tickets are not given in our party on the basis of religion. It is given on the basis of eligibility and capability of an individual”.

Ansari was also quick to point out that the BJP had given tickets to an “overwhelming number” of Muslim candidates in the West Bengal panchayat polls. “About 850 Muslims were given BJP tickets in the three-tier rural polls in the state held in May. It only goes on to show how much we care about the community,” he asserted.

Criticising the erstwhile Congress government for not doing enough for the development of the community in the country, he said the BJP government has increased the budget for minorities by “leaps and bounds”.

“Since Independence, there has been a huge gap between what was promised to the minorities and what was actually delivered. But we are serious about the development of Muslims as we believe in the policy of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’”, he said.

“If you go through the history of our country of the last 60 years, you will see how many large-scale communal riots took place during the Congress regime … But now you won’t witness such a situation in the country,” Ansari added.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy

Mangaluru: Unauthorized bus stops at signals fuel traffic woes and safety concerns

SC notice to Karnataka, DK Shivakumar on CBI plea against withdrawal of consent by state govt

Will remain active in politics till my last breath: JD(S) patriarch & ex-PM Deve Gowda

BJP calls Congress govt ‘laughing stock’ as ‘samosa politics’ heats up in Himachal

Related Articles More

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

Bank fraud: ED seizes jewellery, cash worth over Rs 1 cr in raids against Bhopal-based company, directors

No greater feeling than serving those in need: Outgoing CJI D Y Chandrachud

CJI Chandrachud: A legacy of landmark verdicts that shaped society and some controversy too

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

Use Carnatic music to promote Kannada language: Nirmala Sitharaman

Udupi: Car collides with bike; Rider injured

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

NSE, BSE to be closed on Nov 20 for Maharashtra assembly polls

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.