Those Who Don't Know About BJP's Ideology Make Comments Against Minorities: Rajnath Singh

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was asked if the BJP's ideology has space for Muslims and other minorities.

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New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that Bharatiya Janata Party's ideology does not discriminate in the name of caste or religion. 

The senior BJP leader also asserted that leaders making public comments against minorities are those who do not know about the party's ideology. 

In an interview with The Indian Express, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was asked about BJP leaders making public comments against minorities. He responded saying, "There may be some who do not know or have knowledge about our ideology. But no senior leaders would talk like that."

He targeted opposition parties in his response, adding: "During the Congress time also there were some who used to talk like that. The parties like Congress and Samajwadi Party do politics of appeasement, because they want to keep some communities as their support base. But BJP is not like that. Some people try to confuse people."

About BJP's alleged "anti-minority image", he said the party does not differentiate between people in the name of religion.

"BJP is a party that wants to take everyone along irrespective of caste, creed, and religion. Our stand is justice to all and appeasement to none," Rajnath Singh stressed.

"I don't talk about Hindu-Muslims – I don't believe in it. I don't see differences between Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or any religion. Our party has an ideology and we work within it. It doesn't differentiate between people in the name of religion," he added.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was asked if the BJP's ideology has space for Muslims and other minorities. To this, he said that there is "no discrimination between Indians in the name of caste, creed or religion in our ideology."

The remarks come as the Union Minister is extensively campaigning for BJP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh where Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has emerged as the ruling party's most formidable challenger.

The Uttar Pradesh assembly election is being held in seven phases. Polling for the sixth phase is underway, voting for the seventh and final phase will take place on March 7. 

Election results for all five poll-bound states will be announced on March 10.