Minority Commission Seeks MP Govt’s Response on Ex-Bhopal Mayor’s Controversial Remark on Muslim Voters

GG News Bureau

Bhopal, 28th Aug. The National Minority Commission has issued a notice to Madhya Pradesh government over former Bhopal Mayor and state Bharatiya Janata Party Vice President Alok Sharma’s controversial remark on Muslim voters.

The commission has recommended that the state government conduct an inquiry into the alleged contentious remarks and asked for a detailed reply within three weeks.

Last week, Alok Sharma while addressing a crowd of BJP workers in Jaora Assembly constituency was heard telling the people of the minority community that “if you are not voting for BJP, do not vote at all”.

An alleged video of Sharma’s address appeared on social media, sparking a political uproar in the election-bound state.

“I want to appeal to our Muslim brothers of Jaora that if you don’t want to vote for the BJP, then don’t. But, I request you not to go for voting at all in that case. You must know and whole-heartedly accept the fact that the house you are living in has been granted to you under the Prime Minister’s housing scheme. (Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan even built a Haj House in MP,” Sharma could be heard saying in the video.

Abbas Hafeez, a spokesperson and Vice President of Madhya Pradesh Congress media cell had raised objection to Sharma’s remark terming it as an attempt to “threaten” the people of minority community.

Subsequently, Hafeez had written to the commission claiming that Sharma’s remark clearly indicates that the BJP is “attempting to create fear among the people from the minority community. Therefore, the Minority Commission should initiate action against him”.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the commission has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government on this matter.

“The National Minority Commission has received a complaint from Abbas Hafeez. It is requested to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit the report in the next 21 days,” reads the notice.

The BJP has declared Alok Sharma as its candidate for the Bhopal North assembly seat, which has a minority population of 55% and was won by the Congress’ Arif Aqeel in 2018.

Sharma, who is close to Chief Minister Chouhan, ran for the same seat in 2008, but was defeated by Aqeel by a large majority of votes.