By PTI
CHANDIGARH: The BJP on Saturday accused former Punjab IPS officer Mohammad Mustafa, who is a principal strategic advisor to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, of allegedly making inflammatory remarks against a community at a public meeting in Malerkotla.
However, Mustafa, the husband of state minister and Congress candidate Razia Sultana, vehemently denied the charge.
A purported video of Mustafa was shared by BJP leaders Sambit Patra and Shazia Ilmi on their Twitter handles.
Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma said his party will file a complaint against Mustafa with the Election Commission of India, seeking registration of a case against him.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha also castigated Mustafa for his remarks and alleged that the Congress was trying to disturb the atmosphere in the state near the state assembly polls.
Addressing the media, BJP national spokesperson Shazia Ilmi here alleged that Mustafa used the word “Hindus” in his remarks.
Mustafa is the husband of Punjab cabinet minister Razia Sultana who is the Congress candidate from Malerkotla assembly seat.
Malerkotla is a Muslim-majority district in Punjab.
The purported video clip was played by the BJP at a press conference in which Mustafa is heard saying at a public meeting at Malerkotla on January 20, “I swear by Allah that I will not allow them to hold any event. I am a ‘kaumi fauji (soldier of community).I am not a RSS agent who will hide in the house out of fear.”
“If they again try to do such a thing, I swear by Allah I will thrash them in their homes”.
However, Mustafa denied using the “Hindus” and said he had only targeted the Aam Aadmi Party workers after some of them allegedly chased him and tried to manhandle him.
Mustafa said he went to an event of some Congress workers which was taking place at a nearby place and warned the AAP workers.
BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi dubbed it as “a matter of great shame” while referring to alleged remarks of Mustafa.
“The whole bogey of Congress secularism has yet again been exposed,” she said.
Mustafa has been an IPS officer.
He has taken an oath on the constitution of the country and has served as the DGP of the state, she said.
“Should he be allowed to say this as part of an election rally,” she asked.
It was clearly hate speech and was unconstitutional, she alleged.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh took strong exception to Mustafa’s remarks and demanded that party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi clear the stand.
Mustafa, who is an advisor to Sidhu, is trying to foment communal hatred in Punjab, alleged Chugh.
Congress leaders are making such provocative statements to disturb the peace of Punjab and such statements are against Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat, AAP’s Chadha said.
