{"id":186106,"date":"2025-10-21T10:06:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T05:06:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=186106"},"modified":"2025-10-21T10:06:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T05:06:22","slug":"i-dont-want-votes-of-namak-haram-bjp-ministers-remarks-draw-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/2025\/10\/21\/i-dont-want-votes-of-namak-haram-bjp-ministers-remarks-draw-fire.html","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I don\u2019t want votes of \u2018namak haram,\u2019 BJP minister\u2019s remarks draw fire"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New Delhi: India Minister Giriraj Singh\u2019s declaration that he does not want the votes of the \u201cnamak haram\u201d \u2014 made at a poll rally in Arwal district \u2014 has provoked sharp criticism across the political spectrum and sharpened fears of communal polarisation ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.<\/p>\n

According to Kashmir Media Service,the remark, aimed at Muslims, is the most prominent of several incendiary episodes involving BJP leaders over the weekend.<\/p>\n

Singh recounted an alleged conversation with a cleric, saying, \u201cOne who doesn\u2019t acknowledge help is called a namak haram\u2026 Maulvi Saheb, I don\u2019t want the votes of the namak haram.\u201d When pressed, the minister insisted his point was that welfare schemes are non-discriminatory \u2014 a claim critics say cannot justify vilifying a whole community.<\/p>\n

The comment drew immediate condemnation. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut demanded Singh\u2019s removal, asking whether refusing to vote for a party automatically brands citizens \u201cnamak haram.\u201d The Bihar Congress labelled the minister \u201cmentally unstable.\u201d The BJP\u2019s ally in the state, JD(U), issued a measured response, saying voters decide beyond such remarks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Delhi: India Minister Giriraj Singh\u2019s declaration that he does not want the votes of the \u201cnamak haram\u201d \u2014 made at a poll rally in Arwal district \u2014 has provoked sharp criticism across the political spectrum and sharpened fears of communal polarisation ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. According to Kashmir Media Service,the remark, aimed …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":186107,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-186106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t