LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday led BJP in attacking the opposition for “communalising” the ongoing assembly elections.
While the PM slammed Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress for working on a strategy that sought to divide Hindu votes in the Goa assembly polls, Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lodged a complaint against Punjab Congress leader Sunil Jhakhar for his statement that a Hindu can never become chief minister of Punjab.
Speaking at a rally in Kanpur Dehat on Monday, Modi said, “Is this democracy?... Is this secularism? You tend to divide Hindu votes. So, whose votes you want to gather... This discrimination... is this the language of a democratic set up,” he asked. Modi exhorted the people of Goa to “bury such politics”. He also said that not only the Election Commission but also the people of Goa and other states where assembly elections are ongoing should take cognizance of this statement.
TMC MP and party in charge for Goa, Mahua Moitra in an interview to TOI had claimed that one of the strategies of her party was to break the consolidation of Hindu votes with the intent to give a blow to the ruling BJP.
The TMC leader was also asked about the presence of her party in Goa, which might result in splitting of non-BJP votes. To which, Moitra claimed that particularly in North Goa where the Congress is weak, TMC has tied up with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). While MGP is in direct contest with BJP, their alliance with TMC is intended to prevent a consolidation of Hindu votes, which would not give the BJP an edge, she claimed.
In Delhi, Naqvi, who led a BJP delegation to the chief election commisioner, said, “Recently, a Congress leader said a Hindu can never become CM of Punjab. It’s an attempt to give a communal colour to the election. We have filed a complaint in this regard.” Naqvi added that in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress were trying not to let Muslims vote. “Women are being asked to go to booths in burkha and insist on voting without showing identity. We have briefed the EC on this matter and urged to take steps to stop fake voting,” he said.
