In the run-up to the Assembly election later this year, the Delhi BJP on Sunday reached out to the Muslims in the Capital. Declaring that the BJP will ensure betterment of Madrasas and strengthen Delhi Wakf Board, party’s State unit president Vijay Goel said their motto is “Daraar nahin, Pyar” (No Rift, Only love)".
Speaking at a convention - 'Muslims for Development' — at Talkatora Stadium organised by Delhi BJP's Minority Morcha, Goel held the Congress-led Delhi Government responsible for the backwardness of minorities.
“The BJP will ensure introduction of Urdu as an optional subject in schools run by the Delhi Government and make sure that Madrasas and Wakf Board are run by non-political entities, which the present Government has ignored,” he said. He appealed Muslims to root out the Congress Government from the State to grow and for development.
“I request you to support BJP for weeding out the corrupt Congress Government in the Capital. I want you to have faith in the BJP and I assure that you will witness significant development within five years,” he said. Present on the occasion were BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Delhi BJP vice-president Aamir Raza Hussain and Minority Morcha president Atif Rasheed with several other minority leaders.
“The Congress Government has duped Muslims in the past by running nefarious campaigns against the BJP and raising the bogey of secularism while keeping the Muslims backward. The BJP believes that Muslims must have an equal share in the development process and it can only be done by addressing the real issues concerning Muslim population in the city,” he added.
The BJP leader said the Congress since independence have been befooling Muslims in the name of security and portraying the BJP as communal. He said the time has gone when Muslims were just a vote bank for the Congress, now they are required to be a part of the development of the country.
“The Congress has always claimed to be the protector and well wishers of Muslims but did nothing except corruption. The Congress has always threatened the minority with security calling BJP a communalist party. Muslims are considered a big vote bank for Congress and are supporting it since the beginning of democracy in India, but what did they receive in turnIJ What has the Congress done for Muslims in 60 yearsIJ" Goel added.
On the occasion, Naqvi congratulated Goel and the minority cell of the part for reaching out to Muslims. Addressing the convention, Naqvi also asked Muslims to support the BJP. He said that education, employment, development in colonies has been big issues since many years. “The Congress has been cheating Muslims with false promises of development and claming that only they are the well wisher of the Muslims. Now, the time has come when you have to change your mind. You should teach a lesson that now Muslims are no more slave of the Congress and will support those who work for their development,” Naqvi said.
Minority Morcha president Atif Rasheed said, “The Delhi Muslims have been left out by the Congress. literacy rate among them is lesser than the average literacy of the city. The dropout rate of school students from the Muslim community is very high. The infrastructure and availability of teachers in schools in the Muslim-dominated areas are dismal. There are no specific programmes for the employment and skill development of Muslim youths.”