‘Muslim university’ row: Uttarakhand Congress seeks action against BJP leaders
Congress claimed that Rawat rubbished these allegations on social media on several occasions and clarified that he has no association with any such statement
A team of Congress leaders in Uttarakhand on Tuesday met director general of police Ashok Kumar, and sought his direction to register an FIR against some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who have allegedly been “trying to tarnish former CM and senior leader Harish Rawat’s image” by linking him to a statement about setting up a ‘Muslim university’.
Congress claimed that Rawat rubbished these allegations on social media on several occasions and clarified that he has no association with any such statement, but the BJP leaders ‘continue to spread misinformation about him’.
Congress further alleged that an FIR in this regard was registered at Kankhal police station in Haridwar in March based on a complaint by their leader Manish Karanwal, but no action has been taken so far.
“Despite our repeated complaints, the police have taken no action, encouraging the BJP leaders to continue to indulge in fake propaganda against our leader Harish Rawat,” state Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni told the state police chief.
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She said the “misinformation” has tarnished the image of their leader and also led to the party’s loss in the recent assembly elections.
“Our party has full faith in democracy and the Constitution. We are confident that you will take cognisance of the facts presented before you, and will take action and order for registration of FIR against BJP leaders who indulged in spreading misinformation,” the memorandum addressed to the DGP stated.
The Congress also attached social media and YouTube links of BJP leaders, including that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, to support their allegations.
DGP Kumar assured that the matter will be looked into.
Rawat recently said that he will approach the judiciary over the matter, and that the issue turned the victory towards BJP which used it as a weapon during the polls.
BJP media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan claimed that it’s a desperate effort by a group within the Congress led by Rawat to divert attention from the voices being raised against him after the party’s poll debacle.
The controversy regarding the Congress leadership having agreed to set up a Muslim university emerged in February during campaigning for the state elections. Subsequently, Dhami too accused the Congress of engaging in appeasement politics.
The controversy followed a statement by the then Congress general secretary Aqeel Ahmed, who after withdrawing his nomination from the Sahaspur seat in Dehradun, said he had put up some conditions before the party leadership for withdrawing the nomination, including setting up of Muslim leadership, which it has agreed to.
Aqeel told local media that his demands included setting up a Muslim University in the state for the education of Muslim youth and spoke about the same to Harish Rawat, who told him he will do so after the Congress comes to power.
BJP shared Aqeel Ahmed’s video on its Facebook page, stating, “Those who didn’t allow the setting up of a Sanskrit University in Devprayag have now promised of setting up a Muslim University in the state to make a particular community happy. Will Dev Bhumi be able to forgive such people?”.
When Aqeel Ahmed’s statement stirred controversy, he took a U-turn on his statement and said that Rawat didn’t say he will set up the Muslim university. The Congress eventually expelled Aqeel Ahmed from the party’s primary membership for six years on March 29.