Being targeted as I am lone Muslim MLA:Imran Khedawala on BJP Minister’s remarks in Gujarat Assembly
Gandhinagar: A heated debate unfolded in the Gujarat Assembly on February 25 during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks for the Governor’s address. The controversy arose when BJP minister Jagdish Vishwakarma stated that most encroachments around religious places were carried out by “a particular community.”
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala, the lone Muslim legislator in the Gujarat Assembly, strongly objected to the remark, accusing the minister of targeting his community. Khedawala claimed that BJP MLAs often single him out whenever issues concerning the minority community arise.
Speaking about the incident, Khedawala said, “Being a minister, you cannot make such statements in the Vidhan Sabha. Gujarat has a population of 6.5 crore people, each with their own beliefs. The minister also claimed that there have been no curfews or riots in Gujarat since 2002. If that is true, why is the Disturbed Areas Act still being imposed in several regions?”
Khedawala further alleged that his microphone was turned off during the session, preventing him from officially responding. Despite this, he voiced his objections loudly. He also highlighted that Congress MLAs supported him, though their numbers were limited, with only a few present in the House at the time.
Regarding the broader political climate, Khedawala criticized what he described as "demolition politics" under the BJP government and emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence. “Every year, the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad is conducted peacefully. We do not engage in Hindu-Muslim politics. We want to talk about development,” he said.
The MLA also expressed concern about being repeatedly targeted in the Assembly. “I am the only Muslim MLA in a House of 182. Whenever there is an issue involving my community, I am pointed at as if I am the accused,” he said. He called on Muslims in Gujarat to be politically aware and vote for deserving candidates who could raise their concerns in the Assembly.
When asked about reports of Muslims shifting their political allegiance to the BJP, Khedawala dismissed such claims, arguing that those who joined the ruling party did so “under compulsion or to seek cover for illegal acts.”
The Congress is set to hold its All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in Gujarat for the first time in 64 years, with discussions underway about whether it will take place in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar. Khedawala acknowledged that the party has struggled to regain power in the state but emphasised efforts to reconnect with voters.
“We have not been in power for 30 years, and it is natural that people have distanced themselves from us. But our supporters remain with us despite challenges,” he stated.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mother arrested for killing five-month-old child in Tripura
Agartala (PTI): Tripura Police has arrested a woman for allegedly killing her five-month-old child in Sepahijala district, officials said on Monday.
Initial investigation revealed that Suchitra Debbarma (28) killed her infant to pave the way for her plan to elope with a man she had been in a relationship with for a year.
After receiving information from Suchitra's neighbours, a police team headed by officer-in-charge of Sonamura police station Tapas Das went to their house at Rampadapara on Sunday.
"We found the baby lying on a bed while her mother was missing. We took the child to Sonamura sub-divisional hospital, where doctors declared the baby dead. Post-mortem will be conducted soon," he said.
According to Das, Suchitra was later arrested from the village.
"Prima facie, it appeared that Suchitra strangled her child to death when her husband, Amit Debbarma, went out for work at a rubber plantation. During interrogation, she admitted that she wanted to kill the baby and elope with another man with whom she had an extramarital affair," he said.
