NEW DELHI: An FIR has been lodged against senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Maria Alam Khan under sections 188 and 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Kayamganj Police Station, Fatehgarh district. The FIR alleges that the leaders made an appeal for “vote jihad”, terming it as necessary in the current situation for the minority community to drive away the BJP government.
The incident occurred during an election rally where Maria Alam Khan, while advocating for the INDIA bloc candidate from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat, urged for “vote jihad,” saying “in the current situation, ‘vote jihad’ is necessary for the minority community”.
Maria Alam, who also happens to be the niece of Salman Khurshid, said, “Together do vote jihad — with intelligence, without being sentimental and with silence. As we can only do vote jihad to drive away this Sanghi government.”
She warned against the perceived threat to humanity and urged voters to protect the country’s diverse culture and ethos. “People say that Constitution and democracy are under threat. But I say that insaniyat (humanity) is under threat.”
“Now there is an attack on ‘insaniyat’. If you want to save the country, its beauty and ‘ganga-jamuni’ (composite) culture, then vote very intelligently without getting influenced by anyone,” she stressed.
Salman Khurshid, who attended the meeting as the chief guest, defended the use of the term ‘jihad,’ interpreting it as a metaphorical struggle against adverse circumstances.
He refrained from endorsing such language but justified its intent to safeguard constitutional values. “Jihad means to fight against a situation. Her intention must have been to carry out vote jihad to protect the Constitution,” he said.
The video of Maria Alam’s statement went viral on social media, prompting public outcry and legal action.
On his candidature from INDIA bloc from the Farrukhabad seat, Khurshid said he was offered Congress ticket from Aligarh from the Congress. But he politely declined clearly saying that “I am Salman Khurshid from Farrukhabad and I stay that only”.
This was the first public meeting of the INDIA bloc in Farrukhabad with most of the senior leaders of the Congress and the SP present together on the dias.
(With inputs from agencies)
The incident occurred during an election rally where Maria Alam Khan, while advocating for the INDIA bloc candidate from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat, urged for “vote jihad,” saying “in the current situation, ‘vote jihad’ is necessary for the minority community”.
Maria Alam, who also happens to be the niece of Salman Khurshid, said, “Together do vote jihad — with intelligence, without being sentimental and with silence. As we can only do vote jihad to drive away this Sanghi government.”
She warned against the perceived threat to humanity and urged voters to protect the country’s diverse culture and ethos. “People say that Constitution and democracy are under threat. But I say that insaniyat (humanity) is under threat.”
“Now there is an attack on ‘insaniyat’. If you want to save the country, its beauty and ‘ganga-jamuni’ (composite) culture, then vote very intelligently without getting influenced by anyone,” she stressed.
Salman Khurshid, who attended the meeting as the chief guest, defended the use of the term ‘jihad,’ interpreting it as a metaphorical struggle against adverse circumstances.
He refrained from endorsing such language but justified its intent to safeguard constitutional values. “Jihad means to fight against a situation. Her intention must have been to carry out vote jihad to protect the Constitution,” he said.
The video of Maria Alam’s statement went viral on social media, prompting public outcry and legal action.
On his candidature from INDIA bloc from the Farrukhabad seat, Khurshid said he was offered Congress ticket from Aligarh from the Congress. But he politely declined clearly saying that “I am Salman Khurshid from Farrukhabad and I stay that only”.
This was the first public meeting of the INDIA bloc in Farrukhabad with most of the senior leaders of the Congress and the SP present together on the dias.
(With inputs from agencies)
