BJP asks Rahul Gandhi if ‘Congress means Muslims’ is official stand of party

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday sought to know Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s stand on his party colleague and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s “divisive and communal” statement that the “Congress is synonymous with Muslims and Islam”.

Speaking to reporters here, BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “I have a question for Rahul Gandhi. Is this the official stand of the Congress? Is the Congress party, as Rahul Gandhi declares, a Muslim party? Revanth Reddy says that Congress is synonymous with Muslims and Islam. Is this the official stand of the Congress party?”

Calling this statement by Congress leaders as “divisive and communal”, Bhatia said, “It makes a comparison between the majority of the country… people who are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Jews.”

“I want to ask Rahul Gandhi if this statement is secular. Is this the reading of the Constitution of India that Rahul Gandhi carries in his pocket?” said Bhatia.

The BJP National Spokesperson said Rahul Gandhi displays the Constitution of India in his hand but never cares to read it.

“If this is not the official line of the Congress, then the said leader, whom he issues directions to, should be sacked forthwith within the next few hours,” said Bhatia.

Revanth Reddy had drawn criticism from the BJP for his remarks made while justifying the induction of former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin into the Council of Ministers last year.

The Telangana Chief Minister, while speaking at an election rally, showcased the Congress government’s measures to provide opportunities to minorities.

He had said that it was only the Congress that gave big posts to the minorities. “Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress,” he had said.

State BJP leaders had criticised Reddy’s claims that Muslims get respect because of the Congress.

A Telangana BJP leader had hit out at the Chief Minister, describing his comments as vote bank politics. “The Congress hurts the respect of Muslims by treating them as a vote bank,” he had said.

–IANS

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