When injustice is faced by a particular community, it should be identified clearly rather than described in vague terms, says the Congress stalwart
NEW DELHI — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged party leaders to speak more openly about issues affecting Muslims and to avoid shying away from using the word “Muslim” in political discussions.
According to sources present at Saturday’s meeting of the Congress Minority Department’s advisory council, Gandhi said that when injustice is faced by a particular community, it should be identified clearly rather than described in vague terms.
Sources said he told party leaders that if Muslims face discrimination or attacks, the issue should be raised specifically as one concerning Muslims instead of using broader labels such as ‘minority’.
The Congress leader reportedly made a similar point regarding Dalits, OBCs and other communities, emphasising that if they face attacks, it should be raised directly and openly by explicitly identifying that specific community.
“One of Rahul Gandhi’s key messages was that the Congress should not hesitate to use the word ‘Muslim’. These days, people often avoid saying it directly and instead use terms like ‘minority’,” a leader who attended the meeting said.
Gandhi also stressed the need to strengthen the participation of Muslims within the party structure and asked the Minority Department to work towards building a stronger platform for representation.
During the discussion, he also spoke about alleged “vote theft” and electoral irregularities. According to sources, Gandhi pointed out that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier did not support Congress on the issue, has now also called for a movement against it.
He further said that assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam were not conducted in a “free and fair” manner, sources said.
Reacting to the country’s current economic situation, Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he could not handle the country’s economic challenges in the long run.– With inputs from Agencies
