Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Government is committed to the Constitution that grants equal voting rights to all and there cannot be any differentiation. He also said that the government is committed to defending the equal rights of all as per Constitution.
“The suggestion to deny voting rights to anybody, even for the sort of a discussion, is not acceptable at all. The Constitution does not accept it and people of India do not accept it,” he said, adding that the right to vote is a Constitutional right available to all citizens, irrespective of their social or economic status.
Shiv Sena had on Sunday courted controversy by demanding withdrawal of voting rights of Muslims, saying the community has often been used for vote bank politics, evoking sharp reactions from several political parties which accused it of trying to inflame passions and divide people.
An editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ had also likened the All India Majlis-e-Ittihadul-Muslimeen (MIM) and Owaisi brothers to “poisonous snakes” who spew venom to “exploit” the minority community Naidu said, “We are committed to defend and uphold the Constitutional rights of all citizens. This government is committed to the Constitution. We don’t say any such suggestion or purported suggestion,” he said. Minorities, including Muslims, are as much the citizens of our country as anybody else and there cannot be any differentiation on any grounds, he said.
When asked about the controversy, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Untouchability should come to an end.” He declined to elaborate.
BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the demand is a personal statement made by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and BJP distances itself from the same. He said the country is run through the Constitution that provides equal rights to all.
“This country is run through Constitution and not by writing editorials or TV programmes. This may be his personal view and we do not subscribe to it. Any citizen who attains the age of 18 years has voting rights as per Constitution.
“Awaisi brothers are known for doing communal politics, but that does not mean that voting rights of the entire community be taken away,” he said.
Hitting out at Raut for demanding revocation of voting rights of Muslims, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the ruling BJP cannot dissociate itself from his statement as he is a leader of Sena, its ally, and asked it to take action against him.
“The suggestion to deny voting rights to anybody, even for the sort of a discussion, is not acceptable at all. The Constitution does not accept it and people of India do not accept it,” he said, adding that the right to vote is a Constitutional right available to all citizens, irrespective of their social or economic status.
Shiv Sena had on Sunday courted controversy by demanding withdrawal of voting rights of Muslims, saying the community has often been used for vote bank politics, evoking sharp reactions from several political parties which accused it of trying to inflame passions and divide people.
An editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ had also likened the All India Majlis-e-Ittihadul-Muslimeen (MIM) and Owaisi brothers to “poisonous snakes” who spew venom to “exploit” the minority community Naidu said, “We are committed to defend and uphold the Constitutional rights of all citizens. This government is committed to the Constitution. We don’t say any such suggestion or purported suggestion,” he said. Minorities, including Muslims, are as much the citizens of our country as anybody else and there cannot be any differentiation on any grounds, he said.
When asked about the controversy, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Untouchability should come to an end.” He declined to elaborate.
BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the demand is a personal statement made by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and BJP distances itself from the same. He said the country is run through the Constitution that provides equal rights to all.
“This country is run through Constitution and not by writing editorials or TV programmes. This may be his personal view and we do not subscribe to it. Any citizen who attains the age of 18 years has voting rights as per Constitution.
“Awaisi brothers are known for doing communal politics, but that does not mean that voting rights of the entire community be taken away,” he said.
Hitting out at Raut for demanding revocation of voting rights of Muslims, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the ruling BJP cannot dissociate itself from his statement as he is a leader of Sena, its ally, and asked it to take action against him.