CD shows Cong leader seeking votes in name of Islam

Kufr,
it explained, is blasphemy and disbelieving in the Quran or in any
tenets of Islam and a person practising kufr is a kafir.

A party
that is still reeling under attacks following Varun Gandhi’s alleged
“inflammatory remarks” against a community, stung the Congress on
Thursday with a CD expose that shows the head of the Congress’ minority
cell invoking Islam to seek votes for the ruling party’s candidate in
Chandigarh. The CD was shown to journalists at the BJP headquarters.

When
Kidwai spewed venom and sought votes on religious lines at a rally in
the neighbourhood of Jama Masjid in the city, AICC in-charge for Punjab
Mohsina Kidwai and party candidate and Union Minister Pawan Banswal
were also present.

The BJP suspects that Kidwai’s words might
have the Congress’ endorsement since the party has neither condemned
nor distanced itself from the remarks of the senior party leader.

The
BJP, which denied that the CD expose was a tit-for-tat reaction to the
Varun Gandhi episode, has petitioned the EC to file a case against
Kidwai. The BJP also wants the commission to act against the Congress
for not distancing itself from the controversial remarks or taking
action against the violation of the model code of conduct.

“The
statement by such a senior Congress functionary seeking votes in the
name of religion and making statements that endanger communal harmony
between different communities is a clear and blatant violation of the
election laws and code of conduct,” BJP spokesman Balbir Punj told
reporters here.

He maintained that while exhorting the Muslim
community, Kidwai said had the Muslim community not been with the
Congress, India would not have been able to attain independence.