In an apparent attempt to garner support of Muslims ahead of Lok Sabha polls, BJP President and party nominee from Lucknow seat Rajnath Singh met prominent clerics of the community in Lucknow.
Singh along with sitting MP Lalji Tandon and Mayor Dinesh Sharma last night met vice-president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Sadiq and Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, Maulana Hameeudul Hassan, Maulana Yasoob Abbas and Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, party sources said.
Talking about the meet, Tandon said in Lucknow, "These are courtesy meetings. Every candidate meets prominent people of different sections of society and seek their support." He claimed there was no political discussion at the meet during which the clerics discussed problems faced by the Muslims and emphasised on the need for special opportunity for the community in the field of education.
Maulana Farangi Mahali said the meeting was held in a good atmosphere during which discussions took place on the issues related to Muslims.
He said Singh had old relations with his father and had been visiting him even when he was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Congress leader Ajay Maken on Tuesday at a press conference lashed out at BJP’s Rajnath Singh for meeting Muslim clerics. Maken said that this meeting shows the double standard of BJP leaders and termed BJP communal.
Few days before BJP was pointing fingers at Sonia ji for meeting Shahi Imam, now why did Rajnath meet the Muslim clerics, said Maken.
However, BJP termed Sonia's meeting communal and tried to justify Rajnath. 'There is a basic difference between the meeting of Sonia Gandhi and Rajnathji meeting voters. She appealed to them not to split their votes. She is asking them to vote enbloc, it is a communal appeal,' said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
'We had objected to Sonia's meeting with the Muslim delegation because she was seeking votes on religion basis. She asked them not to split their votes,' Javadekar further added.
(With PTI inputs)
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