While addressing a public rally in Amethi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi halted his speech when the Muslim call to prayer from a mosque, ‘Azaan’ was played.
#WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi halts his speech during ‘Azaan’ in Amethi, earlier today. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/rHENio0eWp
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2019
Facing tough competition in Amethi from BJP’s Smriti Irani, Congress President has also contested the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, which is believed to be a ‘safe seat‘ considering Hindus are in a minority. Voting in Wayanad concluded on April 23 while Amethi will vote on May 6.
In the above video, it could be seen that Rahul Gandhi halted his speech for a few minutes and resumed it after the Azaan was over. The call to prayer, Azaan, is called by a muezzin from a mosque five times a day summoning the Muslims for the mandatory worship.
During the 2014 general elections, Rahul Gandhi’s mother and the then party president Sonia Gandhi had appealed the Muslim community to help in defeating Narendra Modi.
Sonia Gandhi had made this appeal during a meeting with Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, who is an influential Muslim leader. Before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders had met several Muslim leaders in a desperate attempt to mobilise Muslim votes for the party. The party had appealed to influential Muslim leaders to ensure that Muslim votes are not split, so that BJP can be defeated in the elections.
Not just that, Sonia Gandhi had also issued a direct appeal to Muslims in a video message, asking the community as a whole to vote for Congress. She had said that if the Hindu nationalist party BJP wins the elections, India’s core values will be ruined.
