Congress emphasises on strengthening secularism

Hyderabad, Dec 6 (INN): Congress leaders have stressed the need to strengthen secularism in the country to foil attempts by communal forces to divide the nation.

Delivering a special address at Gandhi Bhavan on the occasion of 23rd anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Congress MP from Kishanganj (Bihar) Moulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi said that the Constitution of India and democracy have guaranteed equal rights, freedom and justice for everyone in the country. However, BJP and other Hindutva forces have been trying to change Constitution to deprive minorities of their rights. Despite winning sizeable number of seats in Lok Sabha, the BJP is unable to implement its hidden agenda due to its weak status in the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, it has been trying hard to win Assembly elections so as to increase its strength in the Rajya Sabha, he said.

Moulana Qasmi said that the people of Bihar have rejected the communal agenda of BJP and its allies in the recently held Assembly elections. Speaking about Seemanchal, he said that the people of this region never supported any kind of communalism. "They never encouraged the communal politics of either Hindus or Muslims even before independence and strictly practiced secularism," he said adding that the BJP had focussed its entire attention on Seemanchal region during Assembly elections. Without naming MIM, he said instead of increasing its numbers in Telangana, the party ventured into Seemanchal to divide Muslim votes to indirectly help the BJP. However, this attempt was foiled by the people of Bihar.

The Congress MP said that the demolition of Babri Masjid was aimed at tarnishing the secular credentials of India. He said the final decision on Babri Masjid would be decided in the court and not on streets. He asked Congress workers to fight against the communal forces and strengthen secularim to protect the Constitution.

Moulana Qasami said that the BJP and Sangh Parivar have no leader to relate themselves with who participated in the freedom struggle. Once they tried to project Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as their leader and now they are trying to highlight Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as their role model, he said.

Addressing the gathering, TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress party would never ally with any communal party, including MIM. He said MIM became stronger in the Old City due to Congress party. Now the MIM is trying to damage Congress party in other parts of the country.

Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir praised Moulana Qasmi for leading a successful campaign against the communal parties in Bihar elections. He said Moulana Qasmi is not only a religious cleric, but a successful and power politician whose views are held in high esteem by the Congress High Command.

In his speech, GHCC (Minorities Department) Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail praised Moulana Qasmi for defeating the same communal parties who are responsible for demolition of Babri Masjid. GHCC General Secretary Syed Nizamuddin said that the strategy adopted by secular forces in Bihar elections should be emulated in all elections across the country.

TPCC (Minorities Department) Chairman Fakhruddin also addressed the gathering.