Former Governor of UP, Uttarakhand and Mizoram Aziz Quereshi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now adopted a secular stand in his statements.
Interestingly, Qureshi also said that the Union Home minister Rajnath Singh is a leader of secular character and a real heir of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“Muslims should talk to Rajnath Singh as he is the savior of Ataljee’s ideology. He is a true heir of Vajpayee and the latter was supported by a large section of the minority community,” Quereshi claimed.
“The secular image of PM Narendra Modi has improved in recent times by his statements, but there is a need to work for it. The PM’s statement on Gau Raksha was a face saving effort. I also appreciated the BJP for sending two Muslims to the Rajya Sabha recently when other so called secular parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP, failed to do so,” saidthe former Governor.
While making these statements on BJP before the media in lucknow on Friday afternoon, Qureshi also suggested that the Opposition parties should form a `Mahaghatbandhan’ - a la Bihar, so that secular votes do not get divided ensuring poll victory for communal forces.
Not only this, the former Governor also said that Muslims should just talk of getting government jobs and protection of their lives and properties from the government rather than seeking tickets for elections. He also advocated reservation forthe Mulsims in government jobs as per their demographic representation.
Qureshi said that Shia- Sunni and Barelvi- Deobandi should shed their differences for the betterment of the community and the clerics should not get involved in vote politics.
On Congress’ prospect in the coming polls, Quereshi admitted that the party which was in ruins some months back, has somewhat revived in UP after projection of Sheila Dikshit as the CM candidate.
Replying to query on whether Rahul should take charge of Congress, Qureshi asserted, “I still think that Rahul should not be made chief of Congress and Sonia should continue as party chief.”
Quereshi was however critical of AIMIM chief Asauddin Owaisi claiming that he was dividing Muslims and giving the communal forces an edge in the polls.
later speaking on national politics, the former Governor said that it was unfortunate that capitalists have taken over the political system as more than 90 per cent of the MPs are crorepatis.
“ The youths, poor and oppressed sections should fight against them. Even if a Naxal like movement is required, they should not renege and rid the political system of these people,” Qureshi stated.