LS polls 2014: BJP's MJ Akbar slams Cong's attempt to 'purchase' Muslims

GUWAHATI: Journalist-turned-BJP national spokesperson MJ Akbar on Thursday breathed fire at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with Imam Bukhari Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid.

Akbar, who was in Guwahati to release the BJP’s state manifesto, said that the Congress was doing 19th century politics when the Muslims want 21st century politics.

"The Congress is treating my community as a commodity to be purchased in wholesale through a middleman who has lost all credentials," he said.

Akbar said the Muslims were devoid of development and jobs. "In one decade of the UPA, Muslims got hot air and tired summers. Don’t dump minority into the basket of fear. Muslims are equal Indians with equal rights," he fumed.

West Bengal, with 28 per cent Muslim population, has just 2 per cent Muslims in government jobs, while Gujarat, with 9 per cent Muslims, has 5 per cent of Muslims in government jobs, he said.

Referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, he said that in last one decade, Modi has faced intense scrutiny as no other chief minister has faced. "There was intense scrutiny by courts and turncoats. In last 10 years, Sonia Gandhi’s and Manmohan Singh’s sole aim has been to put blame on one man," he said.

"A journalist as I was then, effort was made to make Modi personally culpable. We were wrong; we must say sorry and treat this chapter (Gujarat riot) as closed. Nobody wants riots, I am sure not even Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi wants it," he added.