Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Congress party of dividing Hindus and using Muslims as a vote bank, a strategy he claims has caused significant harm to the Muslim community. In an interview with IANS, Rijiju criticized the Congress for what he views as its reliance on the Muslim vote and its divisive politics. He stated that the party views Muslims as a guaranteed vote share, which ultimately hinders their development.
Rijiju took to social media platform X to share a clip of his interview, issuing a warning to both Muslims and Hindus not to fall prey to the Congress’ “divide and rule” strategy. He emphasized that the Congress has perpetuated the idea that Muslims will always support the party, which he believes limits the community’s growth.
The minister also alleged that the Congress has historically humiliated key figures like B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution, and accused Rahul Gandhi of lacking understanding of the issues faced by marginalized communities, such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Rijiju further claimed that the Congress has kept Muslims impoverished over the last 60 years, contrasting this with Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to provide equal opportunities to all citizens, including Muslims. He pointed out the BJP’s policies, such as opening bank accounts and providing essential services like housing and electricity, that benefit all communities.
In response to these comments, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently criticized the BJP government, accusing it of being indifferent to rising violence against minorities, particularly Muslims. Gandhi’s remarks came after mob violence in Haryana and Maharashtra, which involved the beating of Muslim individuals over suspicions of beef consumption. Gandhi argued that such incidents reflect the growing “rule of fear” in the country, fueled by hatred used as a political tool by those in power.
