Congress’ slogan of secularism helping terrorists: BJP

GUWAHATI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday accused the Congress of appeasing minorities in the country to strengthen its vote bank and said the concept of secularism propagated by the ruling party is only helping terrorists to carry out their violent strikes in India.

“The Congress is only interesting in appeasing minorities and their slogan of secularism is nothing but appeasing terrorists. The Congress party is doing this only for vote bank politics to win elections and nothing else,” BJP president Nitin Gadkari told a public rally here.

Gadkari said the BJP was not against minorities.

“We are not against minorities and it is wrong to say we are a communal party. Anyone, who considers India as their motherland, we respect them. It doesn’t matter whether they go to a mosque or a church or other religious institutions,” he said.

The BJP president was critical of the alleged influx of illegal Bangladeshi nationals into Assam and other northeastern states.

“It is sad that those parties who once were very vocal about the foreigners issue are silent now, probably not willing to take a strident approach for fear of losing elections,” the BJP leader said.

“We are not prepared to compromise on the issue of infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals no matter whether we lose or win in elections,” Gadkari said, in an apparent reference to Assam’s main opposition party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

The BJP and the AGP had electoral understanding during the 2009 parliamentary elections, but the AGP in recent months is maintaining a distance from the saffron party.

“We cannot allow our country to be swamped by Bangladeshis. We have to resist it as it concerns the country’s internal security,” Gadkari said.

The BJP president was also critical of the escalating price rise of essential items in the country.

“The common people are unable to buy two square meals a day due to the wrong policies of the government. The central government has failed on all counts,” he said.