Cong proud of standing with all sections: Pawan Khera

He also accused the BJP government in Gujarat of trying to divert voters’ attention ahead of the assembly elections. “In the 27 years of misrule of the BJP in Gujarat, several sections of the society, including Dalits, adivasis and other backward communities, have been pushed back from the mainstream. The farmers, labourers, dairy owners, other cooperative agencies, micro and small industries, business class and middle-class of Gujarat have been suffering due to the anti-public policies of the BJP. Only one or two selected industrialists have benefited. The people of Gujarat know well that the BJP has failed in keeping its promises,” Khera said.

“Whenever elections come, the only agenda of the BJP is to create tension in the society through lies. Their attempt is to divert the attention of the public from pressing issues and massive failure of governance to other matters. The Congress feels proud of the fact that like elsewhere in the country, it is standing firm with all sections of the society in Gujarat for their upliftment,” he added.

The controversy erupted after Thakor had endorsed Singh’s view at a minority communities event in Ahmedabad. He had also said he was aware of the political damage caused by Singh’s statement; yet, he was proud of his party for sticking to the stand. Two days later, workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal had vandalised posters of the Congress outside the party’s state headquarters ‘Rajiv Gandhi’ bhawan at Paldi in Ahmedabad accusing the them of pandering to Muslim voters.