In a scathing attack on the Congress, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the grand old party should not teach secularism to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a public rally in the Kawardha assembly constituency of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Sarma slammed the Bhupesh Baghel-led government in the state and said incidents of ‘love jihad’ and conversion were on the rise.
“Love jihad, conversion and murder of Hindus cannot be justified under the name of secularism. If the Congress is brought to power, such issues will reach the next level,” he said.
“Love Jihad started during Congress’s rule in the country. Tribals in Assam and Chhattisgarh are encouraged daily to get converted (to Christianity). When people raise voices against the act (in Chhattisgarh), Bhupesh Baghel says he is secular,” Sarma said.
(Love jihad is a term used by right-wing activists and outfits to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.)
“Is killing Hindus your concept of secularism? This country belongs to Hindus and it will continue to be of Hindus. Do not teach us the language of secularism,” Sarma said.
Building a masjid for Babar after demolishing the Ram Temple is not called secularism, he claimed.
“Religious conversion is not called secularism. Handing over the land of Mata Kaushalya to Akbar is not secularism. Our concept of secularism has been given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar and our Hindu culture. We know its concept. Secularism does not mean love jihad,” the Assam Chief Minister said.
Further, he also accused the Congress of worshipping Babar (referring to Muslim invaders) and not taking steps to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
“We had said that we would build Ram Temple after coming to power (at the Centre) and in January the temple construction will be completed. Congress remained in power for 60 years but they did nothing to build the Ram Temple as they always worshipped Babar.”
“These people belong to Babar, not to Lord Sri Ram. Those who belong to Lord Shri Ram, fulfill their promises. Modi fulfilled all his promises made to the people,” Sarma said.
Targeting the Congress government for not fulfilling its promise of prohibition, Sarma said the Bhupesh Baghel government has become well-known in the country for “selling liquor”.
He also urged people to vote for BJP nominee Vijay Sharma and “bid farewell to Akbar to save Chhattisgarh from love jihad and religious conversion”.
Congress has re-nominated its senior leader and state minister Mohammad Akbar from the Kawardha seat.
Congress-governed Chhattisgarh will go to polls in two phases on November 7 and November 17.
Counting of votes will be done on December 3.
