New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met some Muslim intellectuals here even as the party has sought to downplay it and said the Congress doors are "open for all sections of people".
"We are not going by religious credentials of any one....The Congress leaders have always interacted with all sections of people - especially intellectuals. We do no take it as a meeting with Muslim intellectuals," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi told reporters here.
According to party sources, Muslim intellectuals and social activists including the likes of lyricist Javed Akhtar, academician Zoya Hasan and social activist Shabnam Hashmi have been invited for the meeting.
BJP has flayed Congress over the episode with the party spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao accusing the grand old party of always pursuing "vote bank politics".
"The Congress party has always done this kind of vote bank politics," Mr Rao said.
According to Congress sources, the meeting will be followed by more such interactions to enlist people's views on various issues especially in the context of ensuing monsoon session of parliament and also elections due in three BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Congress sources on Tuesday said in the past also such meetings have taken place and these have no link to BJP leaders' starting Sampark for Support campaign.
The meeting between Mr Gandhi and Muslim intellectuals including a few retired government officials will have special significance as All India Muslim Personal Board has recently made recommendation for introducing Shariat courts - a move that has been marred by controversies.
The BJP has been trying to make a dent among Muslim vote base by flagging off the controversial issues like Triple Talaq.
The Congress spokesperson Ms Chaturvedi has accused the BJP - on the contrary - of trying to create religious divide among the people.
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