BJP distances itself from Shiv Sena's poser of withdrawal of voting rights from Muslims, says all Indians have equal rights

Kolkata, Apr. 13: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday distanced itself from the Shiv Sena over the latter's remarks demanding the withdrawal of voting rights from Muslims, adding that every citizen of the nation has equal rights, irrespective of their religion.

"The BJP does not subscribe to this kind of view. It may be the Shiv Sena's views but certainly not the BJP's. This country belongs to 125 crore Indians and all Indians have equal rights. These 125 crore Indians belong to various religions: Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian, and they all have equal rights as Indian citizens," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

According to reports, Raut, in an article published in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna, wrote that the voting rights of Muslims should be withdrawn in order to put an end to vote bank politics. Raut also described All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leaders Asaduddin and Akbaruddin Owaisi as a 'threat to the nation'.

 Politicos have condemned the Shiv Sena's demand that voting rights of Muslims should be revoked as the community has often been used to play vote bank politics saying that snatching away the fundamental right is a threat to the nation's democracy. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, however, justified his party's stand and claimed that the community's condition would never improve as long as the vote bank politics continues in India.(ANI)

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