BJP slams Cong after Khurshid says party has Muslim blood on its hands
ALIGARH:FORMER law minister Salman Khurshid has kicked up a controversy with his remarks that the Congress party’s hands were stained with the blood of Muslims. He was addressing students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at its annual function on Monday, where he was the chief guest.
His comments prompted the BJP to mount a fresh attack on Congress, saying it was an “acknowledgement” of the grand old party’s “history of engineering” communal riots in the country.
However, the Congress “completely disagreed” with Khurshid, and urged its leaders to refrain from making such “unfounded statements that help the cause” of the ruling party.
The remark came in response to a question by a student who asked how the Congress would “wash off blood stains of Muslims from its hands” and referred to various communal riots and controversial incidents in the past, including the Hashimpura massacre, Muzaffarnagar riots, and Babri Masjid demolition. All these incidents took place when the Congress was in power, the student claimed.
“It is a political question. There is blood on our hands. I am also a part of the Congress so let me say it, we have blood on our hands. Is this why you are trying to tell us that if someone attacks you, we must not come forward to protect you?” Khurshid said.
“We are ready to show the blood on our hands so that you realise that you too must not get blood on your hands. If you attack them, you are the ones who would get stains.”
Later, when journalists questioned Khurshid, he said, “I was defending the Congress party and I made the statement not as a Congressman but as a human being. I will continue (to do) that.”
In Delhi, Congress spokesperson PL Punia said his party disassociated itself from Khurshid’s remark and called for refrain from leaders. He said the Congress was the only party that worked towards building an egalitarian society, before and after Independence.
“All leaders must remember such unfounded statements only help the cause of those in power today who seek to divide the society on caste and communal line to retain and attain power at any cost,” he said.
Asked if the party would take action against Khurshid, Punia evaded a direct reply, saying he need not add anything to what he has already stated.