Azad’s ‘Hindu’ remark may hurt Cong in UP

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s statement that invitations to him from his Hindu colleagues has sharply dropped since Narendra Modi government came to power has discomfited the Samajwadi Party — a likely member of proposed “Mahagathbandhan” against the BJP for the 2019 General Election in UP.

The SP, which is a major force in UP besides the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), sees it as anti-thesis to it plans to woo the Hindus to increase its base to checkmate the BJP in the state. Azad is leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and a high-profile Congress leader. The SP apprehends that his statement will be seen as expression of doubt against the Hindus, and possible ruffling of feathers among them.

The BJP has already latched on it saying it was another attempt by Congress to “demean and demoralise” Hindus. SP national vice president Kiranmoy Nanda said: “The Congress is not my party’s ally. Ask him (Azad) about his statement.”

At a function in AMU, Azad on Thursday reportedly attributed drop in the invitations to apprehension of the negative impact on voters if he campaigned. “Around 95 per cent of those who used to call me were Hindu brothers and leaders and just 5 per cent Muslims. But the last four years, I have observed that the figure of 95 has dropped to just 20 per cent,” Azad had said.