Religious leaders ask Muslims to boycott both BJP, Congress

Lucknow: Prominent Muslim clerics today asked for a boycott of both Congress and the BJP in the Lok Sabha election and urged Muslims to vote for secular candidates.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Kalbe Jawwad said, "This election is a decisive one for the Muslims, it will decide their fate. Some political parties have silently cheated the minorities and the front-runner in this is the Congress. It shows sympathy and commitment for Muslims, but silently it had always worked against their interests. It is responsible for demolition of the Babri Mosque."

Maulana Jawwad was accompanied by Yahya Bukhari, brother of Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, as he addressed the press conference.

Accusing Congress of treating Muslims as "servants", Jawwad, a noted Shia scholar, said, "We appeal to Muslims to vote for secular candidates and boycott Congress."

Calling upon Muslims to unite against Congress, Maulana Bukhari said he boycotts the support extended by Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, his elder brother, in favour of Congress. He also slammed the Congress government's stand on homosexuality by saying, "How can any Muslim support the party which promises to legalise homosexuality?"

Bukhari also termed Rahul Gandhi's visit to Muzaffarnagar as an "eyewash" and said, "He did not ensure any help from the Centre."

Holding the Congress equally responsible for the riots along with Samajwadi Party, Bukhari said, "They had their government at the Centre. If they wanted, they could have stopped it."

When asked out of BJP and Congress, which party is more dangerous for Muslims BJP, Bukhari said, "BJP is responsible for the biggest massacre of Muslims in Gujarat, but Congress is responsible for many such massacres of Muslims in several riots over the years."