Rajeev Chandrasekhar Links Muslim Representation Directly to BJP Votes

Kozhikode: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has sparked controversy by attributing the absence of a Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet not to any animosity from the party, but to the voting patterns of the Muslim community. Addressing the media in Kozhikode, Chandrasekhar said, “Only if Muslims vote for the BJP will there be a Muslim MP. Only then will there be a Muslim minister.”

By framing it this way, Chandrasekhar bluntly sidesteps claims that the BJP is against Muslims, instead placing the onus on the community for their underrepresentation.

Attempting to defend the party, he insisted, “We are a party that respects all religious beliefs. We have not done anything against any religion,” and maintained that the BJP is not against any community.

Critics argue that statements like these, which link ministerial positions directly to the voting behaviour of a specific community, exacerbate communal divisions and politicise religion while conveniently shifting accountability away from the party itself.