In a bid to woo the Muslims ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra, BJP has attacked the Congress for discriminating against Muslims in other political parties.

Mumbai: In a bid to woo the Muslims ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra, the BJP has attacked the Congress for its pseudo-secularism and discriminating against Muslims in other political parties.

“Those Muslims in the Congress are called 24 carat Muslims while in the BJP are called 18 carat Muslims. What kind of logic is this,” said Shahnawaz Hussain, the BJP spokesperson. He was speaking at a gathering of minority community organised by the Mumbai unit of BJP to convey the welfare schemes launched by the Modi government.

While it seemed that the Muslims audience was carefully selected for the program, the BJP leaders said that the members of its minority cell would initiate dialogues with voters in Muslim pockets. The BJP feels that the community, which has traditionally voted for the Congress and other secular parties, could swing several seats in its favour in the state.

“Nobody should look at us with suspicion due to ISIS or the happenings in the Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. We are peace-loving Muslims and believe in humanity,” he added.

Najama Heptullah, Union Minister for Minority Affairs slammed the Congress over the Sacchar committee report. “The report was a slap on the face of the Manmohan Singh government as the report said that the state of Muslims in India is more backward than Dalits in the county. The Congress has done nothing for the Muslims in last 65 years. Even, the riots didn’t stop during the Congress rule,” said Heptullah.

Talking on the Maharashtra government’s decision of giving reservation to Muslims, she said that the Congress only makes false claims ahead of elections. “It knows that the Constitution does not allow such reservation and the BJP has not made the Constitution. So, is it not the mockery of the Constitution,” she asked.

She urged the community to vote for the BJP in the state so as it would help to implement the welfare schemes of the Modi government in the state.

Referring to the controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's refusal to wear a Muslim cap, Heptulla said she was happy that Modi didn't wear the cap. "It was good that he didn't wear a topi like other leaders do. It shows that Muslims won’t be fooled by him like other political leaders did," Heptulla said.

Former Army chief General (retd) VK Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs said that the meet shows that everyone is equal. “There is no caste and religion in the armed forces and we fight for India. Similarly, for the development of the nation, we need to walk hand-in-hand with BJP,” said Singh.

Ashish Shelar, BJP city unit chief also slammed the Maharashtra government for not publishing the Mehmood-ur-Rehman Committee report. “It should have been tabled on the floor of the house for debate as it speaks for the development of the Muslims,” he said.