Rahul Gandhi tells Congress Muslim leaders to openly raise community issues
New Delhi: In India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged Muslim leaders of the party to openly raise issues concerning their community and work to enhance their representation within the party.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Gandhi made the remarks during a meeting of the advisory council of the Congress party’s Minority Department. He said that if injustice is done against a Muslim, the matter should be raised specifically as a ‘Muslim’, rather than only as a member of a ‘minority’ group. He added that similarly, if Dalits, OBCs, or members of the general category face attacks, the issue should be raised by identifying that specific community.
“Rahul Gandhi’s direct message was that the Congress party should not shy away from using the word ‘Muslim’. It has often been observed these days that instead of explicitly saying ‘Muslim,’ people tend to use the term ‘minority’,” a leader present at the meeting said.
Gandhi stressed the need for the Congress party’s Minority Department to create a platform that ensures adequate participation for the community within the party structure.
On the issue of “vote theft,” Gandhi said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier did not align with the Congress on the matter, has now called for a movement against it. He also said that the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam were not conducted in a “free and fair” manner.
Referring to the country’s economic situation, Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “lacks” the capability to manage it effectively over the long term.
