BJP works for people without discrimination unlike SP, Cong: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

BJP worked for people without 'discrimination' and 'polarisation,' unlike Samajwadi Party and Congress, defence minister Rajnath Singh and deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma claimed during a poll campaign in Lucknow West constituency, which has a sizeable population of Muslims.

Samajwadi Party, Congress and BSP have fielded Muslim candidates in Lucknow North and Lucknow West, where the community has a good presence. Singh is the Lucknow MP and Sharma was the mayor of Lucknow. Both are considered 'moderate' faces of BJP who enjoy popularity of Hindus and Muslims. Lucknow West has been represented thrice by senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, a protege of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the MP from Lucknow when he was PM.

"Caste, sect and religion-based politics should not be practiced. Some people may find my statement strange. Politics should be for justice and humanity. Polarisation politics is done by SP and Congress, not just in Lucknow but the entire country. Don't fall for it," Singh alleged. Talking about the principle of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, Singh said, "there should be justice for all and no appeasement politics.


All religions should take it seriously. "If one side does it, there will be a reaction." Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided financial aid under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and PM Garub Kalyan Anna, 'without religious bias', but "look at what SP and Congress are doing. They reduce morale of soldiers, talk about caste and religion and accuse us in turn. Now if we are building Ram mandir, can we be accused for that? Is it not true that Babur had invaded Ayodhya?" Sharma said it was not 'chunaav' but 'chunauti' for those who dream of winning elections by polarising communities.