Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is caught in the eye of a political storm for his claim that Pakistan agencies approached Muslim youths whose relatives were killed in recent Muzaffarnagar riots.
Muslim clerics as well as political parties took turn to blast Rahul. The Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (United), which compete with their rivals for minority votes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectivley, criticised the Congress leader while the BJP asked PM Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to elaborate on the Congress leader's claim.
Maulana Saif Abbas Naqvi, a prominent Shia cleric, said in lucknow that such statements not only painted the Muslim community in bad light but also strengthened the communal forces. He said these were a “grave insinuation” on millions of peace-loving and patriotic Muslims.
He also alleged that instead of understanding the plight and pain of the riot victims, the Gandhi scion was playing politics over communal riots and victims. Shahar Qazi Maulana Abul Irfan Miyan Farangi Mahali also described the State as “most unfortunate” and demanded an immediate and unconditional apology from the Congress leader.
“It does not behove leaders of a national party like the Congress to give such cheap and hurtful statements against the Muslims...we are patriotic and would do anything for India,” he said in a statement.
Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, senior vice-president of the All-India Muslim Personal law Board, also said that anyone who casts aspersions on the integrity and loyalty of the minorities for the country was doing a great dis-service to the country and the Muslims.
BJP's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad termed Rahul's statement “very irresponsible” and questioned as to what the Government was doing on such inputs. Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha said it amounted to a “very serious systemic issue” and the guilty officers should be punished.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar asked, “In what capacity is the IB briefing Rahul GandhiIJ He is just an MP, we are MPs too. He is a party office bearer; we too are party office bearers. IB does not brief our party-bearers, how can they brief himIJ”
Javadekar asked the UPA about steps it has taken if there were such inputs about ISI being in touch with some Muslim youths. “The Home Minister must answer. If these (basis for the Congress vice-president's remarks) are IB inputs, the HM owes an explanation. This is very serious. We cannot take politics today to that level where Congress wants to take it,” he said.
Another BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said, “Either the Prime Minister or Shinde should either confirm or denounce it as it involves the reputation of Muslims.”
Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal criticised Rahul for casting doubts on the Muslim community. “Putting a question mark on Muslims is not good. To link Muslims with terrorists is not a good thing,” Agrawal said. The SP leader assured that Uttar Pradesh Government would get the matter investigated, if Rahul provided more details.
Senior leader Azam Khan, the minority face of Akhilesh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh, sought an apology from the Congress leader. “Rahul Gandhi should not speak irresponsibly. At one point he blames the BJP for the riots and at the other he raises doubt on the dedication of Muslim youths. He should apologise to Muslims for the same and if he cannot do that Sonia Gandhi should do it,” Khan told reporters in lucknow.
The senior SP leader felt Rahul's claims would open new doors of hatred and animosity towards them. “Such a statement is not just putting the ISI in the dock but also doubting the integrity of Muslim youths,” he said.
Rahul's statement also did not go down well with the Janata Dal (United), which is cozying up with the grand old party after a separation with the BJP. The ruling party in Bihar claimed no one should insult a community with such remarks.
“Nobody has a right to question anybody's nationalism. If some people are in touch with Pakistan for anti-India activities, they should be dealt as per the law. But to drag the whole community into it is an insult for Muslims,” party spokesperson KC Tyagi said.
The party also dismissed as non-issue Gandhi's invocations of the sacrifice of his family members. “People gave his party more than 400 seats in 1984 when Indira Gandhi died and over 200 seats in 1991 when Rajiv Gandhi was killed. They have already paid their tribute. Emotional issues like caste, religion or family sacrifices are non-issues this time,” he said.
CPI leader Atul Anjan also accused Rahul of trying to create hatred for Muslims with his remarks. “I do not know who writes Rahul Gandhi's speeches. By making such a statement about the minority community over the Muzaffarnagar violence, he is once again trying to create tension and hatred in the country,” he said.