Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Congress leader Salman Khurshid's niece Maria Alam Khan has drawn herself into a controversy after she appealed for vote jihad in large numbers to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad. The SP leader emphasised 'vote jihad' and termed it necessary in the current situation for the minority community to drive away the BJP government.
An FIR has been filed against Maria Alam Khan after her vote-jihad appeal. The FIR also mentions Salman Khurshid's name.
Maria, the niece of former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, said that in the current situation, 'vote jihad' is necessary for the minority community.
Maria Alam Khan, who was addressing a poll rally in support of I.N.D.I.A bloc candidate and SP leader Naval Kishore Shakya, said, "Together do vote jihad -- with intelligence, without being sentimental and with silence. As we can only do vote jihad to drive away this Sanghi government."
Stressing that it was time to join hands, she said otherwise this "Sanghi government will succeed in wiping out our existence".
"People say that Constitution and democracy are under threat. But I say that insaniyat (humanity) is under threat. Now there is an attack on 'insaniyat'. If you want to save the country, its beauty and 'ganga-jamuni' (composite) culture, then vote very intelligently without getting influenced by anyone," she said.
Alam's statement has gone viral on social media.
Salman Khurshid, who was present at the rally, when asked to comment on the statement of his niece, said that he generally avoids using such words because its literal meaning is misinterpreted.
"Jehad means to fight against a situation. Her intention must have been to carry out vote jihad to protect the Constitution," he said.
With inputs from PTI
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