MARGAO
BJP minority leader Sheikh Jina on Saturday said that the Muslims in Goa will vote overwhelmingly for the BJP candidates in both the North and South Goa Lok Sabha seats in the coming election.
Addressing the media in the presence of Ligorio Monteiro, Sheikh Aslam on Wednesday, Jina said the minority community has realized that the Congress has only used the Muslim community for its selfish ends.
He demanded to know from the Congress leaders why members of the Muslim community going on the Haj pilgrimage did not receive benefits which were provided by the Narendra Modi government.
“This time I am confident that the Muslims all over the country, including Goa, will vote for the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress has only used the Muslim community over the last 60 years. The party did not work for the benefit of the community all these years. The Muslim community is satisfied with the steps initiated by Prime Minister to streamline Haj pilgrimage for lakhs of people from the community,” Jina, who is the chairman of the Goa Haj Committee, said.
He pointed out that not only the Modi government got the Haj quota hiked after taking up the issue with the Saudi Crown Prince Salman, but women can go to Haj without accompanied by a member. “Last year, around 1,350 women headed for Haj pilgrimage without anyone accompanying them to Mecca. This year, another 2,450 women will go alone for Haj,” he said, adding this is possible only after the Modi government took up the matter with the Saudi authorities.
Saying that the BJP will return back to power with 300 seats in the coming election, Jina said Muslim no longer see the BJP as a communal party.
Ligorio Monteiro, a resident of Chicalim, said the BJP did not discriminate amongst religious communities while implementing social welfare schemes for the people of Goa.
