BJP seeing vote theft through Hindu-Muslim lens: Congress

Mumbai, Nov 3 (PTI) The Congress on Monday alleged the BJP is viewing the alleged vote theft in Maharashtra through a Hindu-Muslim angle after state minister Ashish Shelar accused Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS of playing "appeasement politics" and targeting Hindu and Marathi voters.

State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal launched a sharp attack on the BJP after Shelar accused Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray of engaging in appeasement politics and conspiring to pressure government staff ahead of the local body polls in the state.

He alleged the Opposition was attempting to create a "fake narrative".

Addressing a press conference, Sapkal alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and Maharashtra had come to power by stealing votes.

He said the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, had exposed with "proof" how the BJP "rigged elections with the help of the Election Commission".

"It was the Congress and Rahul Gandhi who first exposed the issue of vote theft. Now, opposition parties across the country are raising their voices over it. Serious questions have been raised about the functioning of the Election Commission," Sapkal said.

"The BJP is viewing even the issue of vote theft through a Hindu-Muslim lens. One could only pity their mindset", he added.

Shelar had said that multiple entries of people from Muslim and other minority groups are ignored, but they only talk about Hindus, Dalits, and Marathi people. "The Thackeray brothers should introspect".

Sapkal, meanwhile, tried to downplay his reported absence in a march organised by MVA allies in Mumbai last Saturday against the Election Commission.

"Even though Congress workers and leaders participated in the march, the BJP criticised it, which is wrong. My participation is secondary; the issue of vote theft is of prime importance," Sapkal added.

The Congress has accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government of trying to suppress the case of a female doctor's suicide in Satara district.

National Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib demanded the immediate arrest of former BJP MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar in connection with the alleged suicide of the doctor.

"To ensure an impartial and transparent investigation, an SIT of High Court judges should be constituted. When the chief minister has already given a clean chit to the accused even before the probe, how can officials conduct a fair inquiry?" Chib asked.

He claimed that the doctor died by suicide due to harassment by Nimbalkar and the police.

"If the government fails to constitute an SIT with judicial participation by November 10, the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress will march to the chief minister's official residence, Varsha, and stage a protest," he said.

Separately, Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Executive Committee on Monday discussed preparations for the upcoming local body elections and mesures to strengthen the organisation. PTI MR NSK