Cong deliberately creating propaganda of intolerance: BJP

Accusing Congress of "defaming" the country, the BJP today charged the party with "deliberately creating a propaganda of intolerance" at a time when most nations are backing India for a permanent seat in UN Security Council.

"At a time when most of the countries are backing India for a permanent seat in UN Security Council, Congress is deliberately creating propaganda of intolerance and spreading a canard in the country," BJP National Spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said.

"Where is it (intolerance)? Is it more than during Narashima Rao's regime. There used to be communal tension during former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi's time. Now there is communal harmony, which is not going down well with some persons," he told reporters.

Hussain said his government has made it clear that whosoever wants to debate these issues, they should come to Parliament and debate.

"Congress, while opposing BJP, is opposing the Government of India and while opposing the government, it is hell bent on defaming the country. Therefore, I want to tell those who are trying to defame the country, that India is not such a place as people here live together in peace and harmony...The harmony which is visible in Narendra Modi government was never seen before," he said.

He said it was his appeal to Congress that it should not defame the country while opposing BJP and the government and added that people should stop defaming the country for personal interests.

"The spate of returning of awards which existed before Bihar polls, thankfully has stopped. Now none is returning awards," he said.

Hussain said he was proud that such a large number of Muslims live in India and minorities across the world should learn a lesson.

"I had repeatedly said that Muslims could not get a better country like India and a better neighbour like a Hindu. Here two big populations live with so much harmony is an example," he said.

He alleged that some people were hatching conspiracy to disturb Ganga-Jamuni tezheeb.

"Those, who are spreading canards, are insulting India and no person has the right to do so. The need is that they should not defame the country for personal interests," he said.

He said today there was a good atmosphere in the country and the government was working on the agenda on 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas'.

To a query on who was responsible for litterateurs and artistes returning their awards, Hussain blamed Congress.

Asked what the BJP was doing to counter this, the BJP leader said, "People will give an answer. Yesterday, students of a college in Bengaluru have given a reply to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi."

On inflammatory speeches being given by his own party leaders like Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj, Hussain said they were their personal statements.

About reasons behind his party's defeat in Bihar Assembly elections, he said it was due to "wrong arithmetic".

Regarding the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, he claimed BJP would repeat its feat of Lok Sabha polls and form the government with two-third majority.

"It is not so that if you lose one match, you lose all. We have performed even on bad pitches. Every match is played with a different strategy," he said.

Taking a dig at the grand programme organised on the birthday of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Hussian said even a Badshah's (emperor) soul would feel inferior after witnessing the grandness.

"I congratulate Akhilesh Yadav for fulfilling the duty of a son, but there are lakhs of elderly people in the state, who have similar expectations," he said and added that in 2017, people would tell SP that it was voted to power to serve them and not to celebrate Saifai Mahotsava.

The BJP spokesman alleged that law and order situation was very poor in the state.

Terming ISIS as a blot on humanity, he said a handful of people have no right to defame Muslims across the world and the organisation should remove Islam from its name.

On the occasion of Constitution Day today, he said those, who would read it completely, would start loving India more.