The Janata Dal (United) Minister, who had come here to attend an all-India Waqf meet, told PTI that Congress professes to have a "secular character" but has done nothing except appeasing Muslim minority for its vote bank.
"During this long period, no developmental and educational work was done for Muslims and for this misdeed the Congress must be held guilty," Shahid said.
He said the Congress had set up the Sachar Commission in 2005 to study the status of minorities and it had exposed the true face of the party.
The minister said that in sharp contrast in states ruled by the NDA, the governments never appeased Muslims but sought their votes after ensuring their development.
Shahid said there are numerous instances of young Muslim youths being arrested, who were levelled as ISI agents and languishing in jail for long terms.
"I think it is shocking that after keeping them (youths) for a long time in jails, the court frees them on the ground that there is no evidence against them," he said.
The minister said there was an urgent need for paying compensation to these youths whose prime years of life got wasted in jails for offences which they never committed. (MORE)
