Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused the BJP of pursuing politics based on religion, weakening democratic institutions, and misusing central investigative agencies against its political opponents, a report said.
Addressing an award ceremony in Jaipur, Gehlot said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would have banned the BJP if she were in power today, alleging that the party engages in religion-based politics, which he claimed runs contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.
"What is their (BJP) mindset? They are weakening the country by deliberately pushing a religious agenda--targeting Muslims... They do this to show the citizens that they are a 'Hindutva' party...," he alleged.
"The Constitution guarantees equal rights to people of all faiths. Religion should not be used as a political instrument," Gehlot said.
The Congress veteran described the ideological positions of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as "dangerous" and accused the ruling party of selectively invoking national leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for political gain while disregarding their core values.
Questioning the BJP's commitment to inclusivity, Gehlot pointed to the absence of Muslim MPs from the party in the Lok Sabha. He also alleged that senior Muslim leaders, including Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, have been marginalised within the organisation.
Earlier, Gehlot had urged all regional parties that separated from Congress to rejoin and "wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader", saying the move is vital to protect democracy in India.
Addressing the political scenario, Gehlot backed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's earlier call, stating, "I believe that what Sanjay Raut has said has merit. The time has come. Now the fight is to save democracy. When we are all in the battlefield fighting to save democracy, then what Sanjay Raut said, I support it."
Drawing a comparison with the political landscape during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he said, "Back in the day, during Indira Gandhi's time, it was Congress versus all other parties... The 'Congress hatao, desh bachao' campaign was launched against Indira Gandhi, yet within just two and a half years, the public brought her back to power..."
(With inputs from ANI)
