BJP candidate makes ‘communal’ remark, Cong asks EC for action
DIVIDE BJP candidate Jaswant Yadav said that Hindus should vote for the BJP and Muslims should vote for the Congress
: BJP candidate from Alwar Lok Sabha bypolls, Jaswant Yadav, created controversial on Tuesday by saying that Hindus should vote for the BJP and Muslims should vote for the Congress.
A video of the speech, being circulated on social media, shows Yadav making the statement while addressing a rally at Dhoondariya village in Alwar district. Yadav denied making the statement.
HT could not verify the authenticity of the video.
“When I visited Mewat villages and met members of Meo community, they told me that ‘we are willing to vote for you’ but not for BJP because BJP is a Hindu party. So I said, if you are Hindu vote for me, if you are Muslim then vote for the Congress (candidate),” Yadav is purportedly heard saying in the video that has been shared multiple times on social media.
Reacting to the video, Congress candidate from Alwar Dr Karan Singh said, “I condemn this statement. The Election Commission should take cognizance. It is communal and an example of depraved mentality,” he said. “There is resentment among people because of antipeople policies of the state government so they are resorting to communal politics,” he said.
Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also said that the Election Commission should take cognizance of the statement.
Denying that he made the statement, Jaswant Yadav said, “The Congress is nervous. I have been campaigning in Muslimdominated regions in Mewat and the Muslims are also supporting me.”
Some BJP leaders have been making communal statements in the run-up to the bypolls. Last week, a BJP MLA from Alwar, Banwari Lal Singhal, had uploaded a controversial post on his Facebook page accusing Muslims of “deliberating producing more children with an aim to dominate Hindus in their own country.”
Singhal has demanded a law that will discourage people from all communities from having more than two children by bringing in a provision which will prohibit the family (with more than two children) from availing government benefits.
In the past, Alwar BJP MLA, Gyandev Ahuja, has also made controversial statements targeting the Muslim community.
While the Congress candidate from Alwar has filed his nomination, the BJP candidate will be filing his papers on Wednesday. The bypolls will be held on January 29.
JAIPUR
IN THE PAST, ALWAR BJP MLA, GYANDEV AHUJA, HAS ALSO MADE CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS TARGETING MUSLIM COMMUNITY