During the felicitation ceremony of Gujarat Congress’ newly appointed working president Kadir Pirzada, party members vehemently voiced their support for the minority community.
In a meeting last week, the Congress party urged the Muslim community in Gujarat to vote for them in the forthcoming assembly election. The meeting was held to felicitate Congress’ new working president Kadir Pirzada, the former mayor of Surat.
Pirzada is now surrounded by controversies soon after his appointment, for his statement on Patidar leaders Naresh Patel and Hardik Patel. He has urged people not to vote for the Patidar community, which constitutes just 11 percent of the total state population.
Congress Woos Muslim Voters To Defeat The “Devious” BJP
The congress party has urged the minority community to vote in favour of the Congress, in order to defeat the “devious” BJP in the upcoming assembly election in Gujarat.
The party members have asked the community to make open minded decisions, and not get carried away by fake BJP propaganda. They further said that if the voters want to defeat the BJP, they must also not support parties like the AIMIM and AAP, as choosing them would divide the votes and eventually benefit the incumbent party.
During the meeting, Gujarat Congress leader Jagdish Thakor asked Pirzada and other Muslim leaders to target 60 assembly seats with considerable Muslim representatives. He urged the leaders to plan for the same in a phased manner, targeting an appropriate time duration.
Thakur said that the Congress has always supported the minority, and that it doesn’t matter if the party is elected to power or not as the ideologies remain unchanged.
Thakor further highlighted how a former Congress prime minister (Dr Manmohan Singh) used to say with utter confidence that minorities hold the first right over the country’s resources. The statement has damaged the party on various aspects, although the party members do not seem to have compromised the ideology.
While remembering the late Congress leader Ahmed Patel during the meeting, veteran party leader Arjun Modhwadia said that Patel always made sure of maintaining unity in the party, and that it is now their responsibility to safeguard its unity. He further warned Muslim voters regarding their choice of votes, and said that they must remain united and not get influenced by other parties that do not think about their benefits. Modhwadia added that they must think and vote cautiously, and not let division in votes hinder their development.
Congress party members also remembered Teesta Setalvad, who “fought strongly against the oppressive BJP for Muslim rights”.
Pirzada Targets Naresh, Hardik Patel
“Why do you support the Patidar community? And why do you vote for Naresh and Hardik Patel? They hold just 11 percent,” said Pirzada. He also said that Congress workers have forgotten that their entire party in Gujarat has been formed with the support of the Muslim community, and that with their support it can reach the 120-mark in the assembly election.
Pirzada also targeted Naresh Patel by saying that he came from the opposite party to join the Congress. The Patidar community has strongly condemned his statements and demanded an apology.
Congress Leaders Surrounded By Controversies
The Congress party has been entangled in internal and external controversies lately, and senior leaders of the party are continuously discussing statements issued by their fellow members.
The Patidar community within Gujarat Congress has demanded an apology from Pirzada for his statement against the Patidar community. Congress MLA Lalit Vasoya has written an official letter to Jagdish Thakor, expressing his unpleasantness.
On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also slammed the Congress leaders over their ideology. Contradicting Thakor’s statement, he said that for the BJP and PM Narendra Modi, the poor have the first right on the country’s resources, and that a single religious community cannot claim a right on the nation’s resources.
Poonawalla tweeted about the same along with a short clip where Jagdish Thakor can be seen favouring one community. Shehzad wrote, “This is the difference in thoughts & actions. For BJP & PM Modi – poor have the first right on resources of the nation For Congress- one community has first right on the tijori / resources! Congress Gujarat Chief explains and elaborates on Dr Manmohan Singh’s statement.”
