07-17-2007, 06:47 AM
<!--emo&:blow--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blow.gif' /><!--endemo--> BJP to keep Wakf fire burning
17 Jul, 2007, 0229 hrs IST,Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, TNN
MUMBAI: The Wakf land issue has become a potent tool for the BJP, which is now trying to drive a wedge between Muslims and the Congress. A senior BJP functionary and legislator told ET that the party would keep adding fuel to the Wakf fire during the monsoon session, which began on Monday, to send a message to the âaverage Muslim mindâ.
âWe may not get the Muslims to vote for us by exploiting this issue. But we can try to alienate the Muslims from the Congress by exposing the party, in particular the chief minister and other ministers,â a senior BJP leader said. âOne good issue may not help us win over the Muslims, but it would certainly dilute the anti-BJP feeling among the minorities.â
The party internally discussed the Wakf land controversy, among other issues, on the first day of the monsoon session. The strategy that evolved aims at killing two birds with one stone â expose the corruption involving the Congress and prime urban land, and harp on the Congress double-speak on Muslim welfare and secularism.
âThat the Congress ministers have misused their ministerial powers to get prime urban land all across Maharashtra either for themselves or their relatives or trusts controlled by them is known.
Whatâs not is that Congress politicians and their kith and kin have even grabbed land belonging to charitable agencies like the Wakf board. We will expose this corruption and also seek to educate the Muslim community,â a senior BJP legislator said.
Interestingly, the BJP is getting support from some prominent Muslim community members and political activists. A BJP leader who participated in a televised debate on the Wakf issue told ET that he had received several calls from the Muslim community members supporting their stand.
âAll of them wanted me to take up the issue in the Assembly. Some of them were even ready to give information about similar cases in which Wakf land has been appropriated,â the leader said. BJP expects some support even from the treasury benches, sources said.
âA few Congress and NCP legislators belonging to minority community are in regular talks with us on this matter. They want us to say all those things that they themselves are not able to put on record for obvious reasons,â a legislator revealed.
âWe will ask them to speak out on this issue without fear or favour if they claim themselves to be the real representatives of the Muslim community. The land allotted to the Wakf board is for charity and religious purposes. But there has clearly been a breach of this trust and Muslim legislators must raise their voice against this corruption,â BJP functionaries said.
17 Jul, 2007, 0229 hrs IST,Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, TNN
MUMBAI: The Wakf land issue has become a potent tool for the BJP, which is now trying to drive a wedge between Muslims and the Congress. A senior BJP functionary and legislator told ET that the party would keep adding fuel to the Wakf fire during the monsoon session, which began on Monday, to send a message to the âaverage Muslim mindâ.
âWe may not get the Muslims to vote for us by exploiting this issue. But we can try to alienate the Muslims from the Congress by exposing the party, in particular the chief minister and other ministers,â a senior BJP leader said. âOne good issue may not help us win over the Muslims, but it would certainly dilute the anti-BJP feeling among the minorities.â
The party internally discussed the Wakf land controversy, among other issues, on the first day of the monsoon session. The strategy that evolved aims at killing two birds with one stone â expose the corruption involving the Congress and prime urban land, and harp on the Congress double-speak on Muslim welfare and secularism.
âThat the Congress ministers have misused their ministerial powers to get prime urban land all across Maharashtra either for themselves or their relatives or trusts controlled by them is known.
Whatâs not is that Congress politicians and their kith and kin have even grabbed land belonging to charitable agencies like the Wakf board. We will expose this corruption and also seek to educate the Muslim community,â a senior BJP legislator said.
Interestingly, the BJP is getting support from some prominent Muslim community members and political activists. A BJP leader who participated in a televised debate on the Wakf issue told ET that he had received several calls from the Muslim community members supporting their stand.
âAll of them wanted me to take up the issue in the Assembly. Some of them were even ready to give information about similar cases in which Wakf land has been appropriated,â the leader said. BJP expects some support even from the treasury benches, sources said.
âA few Congress and NCP legislators belonging to minority community are in regular talks with us on this matter. They want us to say all those things that they themselves are not able to put on record for obvious reasons,â a legislator revealed.
âWe will ask them to speak out on this issue without fear or favour if they claim themselves to be the real representatives of the Muslim community. The land allotted to the Wakf board is for charity and religious purposes. But there has clearly been a breach of this trust and Muslim legislators must raise their voice against this corruption,â BJP functionaries said.