Responding to Rahul Gandhi‘s disqualification from Lok Sabha, Aurangabad MP and AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel pointed out the stark difference in the treatment of Muslim and non-Muslim MPs in cases of disqualification.
Jaleel cited the example of SP veteran Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam, who faced arrest demands from Congress in 2019, while BJP MPs who have made derogatory comments about Muslims have faced no consequences.
Abdullah Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party MLA, was debarred from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly a month ago, just days after a court convicted him to two years in prison in a 15-year-old case.
Azam Khan, one of the most senior leaders of SP, was also disqualified from the UP Vidhan Sabha a few months ago after his conviction in a different case.
“The difference between the responses to Azam Khan and his son on one hand and Rahul Gandhi’s case on the other is rather clear. The place of Muslim leadership in New India is clear. Congress delegation had met the UP governor in 2019 and demanded Azam Khan’s arrest,“ Jaleel tweeted.
Jaleel also criticized the discrimination shown towards Mohammed Faizal P.P, Lakshadweep MP, who was convicted and disqualified despite the Kerala High Court suspending his conviction. He questioned the reason for the stark difference between Muslim and non-Muslim MPs in such cases.
“Pp Faizal Lakshadweep MP was convicted and disqualified. Despite Kerala HC suspending his conviction, he is yet to be reinstated by LS secretariat for two months. Discrimination from secular parties is clear. Why is the difference between Muslim and non-Muslim MPs so stark?“ the AIMIM leader asked.
In the case of disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament, Jaleel said that the speed of the Surat judgment and its legal basis are both questionable. Jaleel also expressed solidarity with the people of Wayanad who were denied their representation due to BJP’s actions.
Jaleel noted that all opposition parties expressed solidarity with Rahul Gandhi.
However, he also urged Congress to extend this solidarity to other leaders facing similar attacks.
Jaleel emphasized the importance of prioritizing the future of democracy over partisan interests, stating that the opposition should focus on issues such as unemployment and India’s relationship with China rather than engaging in a Congress vs BJP narrative.
