 "Cong most communal, says Shahi Imam's brother")
Dubbing Congress as "most communal", Syed Yahya Bukhari, the younger brother of Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari today opposed any decision to endorse the ruling party.
"I totally oppose the decision of the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid of supporting the Congress party and the reason is that honestly if you ask any Muslim in the country, the Congress party I believe is the most communal party.
"Muslims say that BJP is communal party, yes it is. But when BJP attacks the minority, it attacks from the front, Muslims save themselves but Congress always backstabs them," he said.
"Check the record of last 30-35 years, whether it was Bhagalpur, Meerut, Moradabad or Surat. All this happened during Congress tenure, even it is happening today. Innocent Muslims are being sent to jail.
"Whenever elections come, Congress tries to become clean and shows bonhomie toward Muslims and seeks their support. Why should I support Congress?" he said.
Asked whether it was the Congress President who invited the Shahi Imam or he himself took an appointment and went to meet her, he said, "I am not sure whether Sonia Gandhi had invited him or he himself took an appointment and went to meet her. But there has been a tradition that Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid does not go to anyone to lend his support.
"Instead, whether it was Indira Gandhi, V P Singh or other former PMs, they came and sought the Shahi Imam's support," he said.
"I totally oppose the decision of the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid of supporting the Congress party and the reason is that honestly if you ask any Muslim in the country, the Congress party I believe is the most communal party.
"Muslims say that BJP is communal party, yes it is. But when BJP attacks the minority, it attacks from the front, Muslims save themselves but Congress always backstabs them," he said.
More From This Section
Bukhari junior did not spare BJP either, attacking the saffron party he claimed that BJP was behind the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat. It is a bitter fact and everybody knows about it, but Congress has also not spared Muslims, he said.
"Check the record of last 30-35 years, whether it was Bhagalpur, Meerut, Moradabad or Surat. All this happened during Congress tenure, even it is happening today. Innocent Muslims are being sent to jail.
"Whenever elections come, Congress tries to become clean and shows bonhomie toward Muslims and seeks their support. Why should I support Congress?" he said.
Asked whether it was the Congress President who invited the Shahi Imam or he himself took an appointment and went to meet her, he said, "I am not sure whether Sonia Gandhi had invited him or he himself took an appointment and went to meet her. But there has been a tradition that Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid does not go to anyone to lend his support.
"Instead, whether it was Indira Gandhi, V P Singh or other former PMs, they came and sought the Shahi Imam's support," he said.