Salman Khurshid and His Niece Face Allegations Over “Vote Jihad” Remark Dispute

Maria Alam, a leader of the Samajwadi Party, made a controversial statement while seeking votes for INDIA bloc candidate Naval Kishore Shakya. She appealed for “vote jihad” as necessary to drive away the BJP government, specifically targeting the minority community. Following a complaint by the Flying Squad and Surveillance Team, a case was registered against Maria Alam for violating the provisions of the IPC and Representation of People Act.

Additionally, a case was registered against Mr. Khurshid, the chief guest at the election meeting in Kaimganj. The SHO of Kaimganj police station stated that the case was registered under various sections of the IPC and Representation of People Act. In her statement, Ms. Alam emphasized the need for “vote jihad” and expressed concern over the threat to humanity and the composite culture of the country.

Her statement was widely circulated on social media. When asked to comment on his niece’s statement, Mr. Khurshid explained that the term “jihad” was intended to convey the idea of fighting against a situation. He mentioned his candidature from the Farrukhabad seat and emphasized his commitment to his constituents.

Notably, this was the first public meeting of the INDIA bloc in Farrukhabad with the presence of senior leaders of the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. *(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed. )*