Burqa politics clouds Modi's rally in Bhopal. Modi, Advani to share dais
India Today Online New Delhi, September 25, 2013 | UPDATED 14:39 IST
An accusation by Digvijaya Singh, that a construction company linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sponsored 10,000 burqas for the party's Karyakarta Mahakumbh in Bhopal has made Muslims the cynosure of the rally to be addressed by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is known for raking up controversies with his statements, on Tuesday said that 10,000 burqas were ordered by BJP from Indore in order to increase the presence to fake Muslims at Narendra Modi's rally.
"In the entire country, it is being said that BJP has the support of Muslims... Now, as proof, I have a bill which shows that 10,000 burqas have been bought from Indore. The same number of topis could not be found here, but were ordered from Lucknow. I will put that bill before you as well," Singh said.
These clothing items have been bought to show greater Muslim presence at Modi's rally, he said.
"Around 10,000 burqas worth Rs.44.60 lakh were purchased.
The bills have been made in the name of Dilip Builcon's director Devendra Jain, a partner of Dilip Suryavanshi. Suryavanshi is known to have close relationship with MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan," he added.
On the other hand, the burqa shop owner Abdul Hashmi has said that two persons had come to his shop and had ordered for 10,000 burqas on Monday night. "We were offered Rs.44 lakh for the burquas. It's month was changed to August from September (23/9)," he said at Indore.
Dinesh Meena, working with Hashmi has given a written complaint to the Indore Range DIG saying that their quotation has been tampered, without their knowledge.
Meanwhile, MP Industries Minister Kailash Vijaywargiya said that Digvijaya's charges were baseless. He also distributed the copies of the complaint of burqa shop owner alleging that Congress has faked the quotation for the purchase of burquas.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally is expected to witness its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi sharing the stage with party patriarch LK Advani. This is the first public appearance of the two leaders after the BJP patriarch openly opposed and skipped the event where Modi was chosen as BJP's PM candidate.
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Burqa politics clouds Modi's rally in Bhopal. Modi, Advani to share dais : North, News - India Today