Cong conspiring with conservative, divisive Muslim elements for votes: BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi: BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday alleged that sensing its defeat in the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls, the Congress is conspiring with conservative and divisive elements in the Muslim community.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Prasad claimed the Congress and other INDIA bloc members were trying to appease Muslims to get their votes.

"The BJP is very clear that the Congress is conspiring with all the conservative and divisive elements in the Muslim community for the sake of votes as it is apprehensive about its imminent defeat," he said.

"PM Modi says 'ek rahenge toh safe rahenge' and they (Congress) are making fun of it and knocking on the doors of the Election Commission," he added.

The BJP MP also questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's stance on the Constitution and criticised his party's approach to religious reservations.

"They have a problem with unity and are conspiring with forces who want to break the country. They are trying to take away the rights of the poor OBCs to give them to Muslims. The BJP will oppose every attempt to strip the marginalised and backward OBCs of their rights," Prasad said.

The BJP had on Saturday claimed that the Congress' Maharashtra unit assured a Muslim body that it would take steps to fulfil its demand of a 10 per cent quota for the community in jobs and education.

Prasad said the BJP would like to ask the Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc whether the benefits given to Scheduled Castes (SCs) will also be extended to Muslims.

"It contradicts the principles of the Constitution, we will oppose it completely," he added.

The BJP leader pointed to the Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh's recent expression of support for the opposition alliance in Maharashtra, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

"Just days ago, we highlighted the All India Ulema Board's involvement and today we have this flyer from the Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh. The Congress and its allies are clearly pushing for Muslim votes by spreading this agenda," Prasad alleged, adding that NGOs were also being mobilised for this cause.

However, the Congress has denied any association of Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole with the purported letter from the All India Ulema Board.

Referring to Jharkhand, Prasad presented what he claimed was a letter from the Jamiat Ulama's Lohardaga branch urging Muslims to support the INDIA bloc in response to perceived threats.

According to Prasad, the letter suggested that uniform civil code, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Waqf Act were being used to intimidate Muslims.

"NRC, uniform civil code, and Waqf laws are being used to scare Muslims in Jharkhand and the Jamiat Ulama is requesting Muslims to unite and vote for the INDI Alliance," Prasad said, quoting the letter.

He also criticised Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's campaign in Wayanad, claiming that support for her came from Jamaat-e-Islami, a charge he said was corroborated by the Kerala chief minister.