Salman Khurshid, niece Maria Alam Khan booked for ‘vote jihad’ speech in UP election meeting

Farrukhabad (UP), April 30 (IANS) A case has been filed against SP leader Maria Alam Khan and Congress leader Salman Khurshid under Section 188 and Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act for attempting to create communal polarisation through inflammatory statements.This meeting was organised by Salman Khurshid and videos of the controversial speech have now gone viral on social media.The Election Commission has taken a serious view of the call for ‘vote jihad’ given by SP leader Maria Alam Khan, niece of former Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, at the public meeting held in support of the INDIA bloc candidate in Kayamganj.The FIR has been filed by Flying Squad Magistrate Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma.According to reports, Maria Alam Khan had said in her speech that in the current situation facing the minority community, ‘vote jihad’ is necessary.Maria said that every woman, every man will fight the war of ‘vote jihad’ to save the Constitution.On Maria Alam Khan using the word 'vote jihad' in the public meeting, Salman Khurshid said, “Generally we avoid using such words because its literal meaning is misinterpreted. Jihad means to fight against a situation. This must have been her intention that ‘vote jihad’ should be carried out to protect the Constitution.--IANSamita/rad

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