Jaipur, April 16 : Rajasthan BJP in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Wednesday criticised the Congress party for treating the Muslim community as a vote bank, asserting that the Muslim representation in central government jobs increased from 5 per cent to 9.5 per cent under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

'In 11 years of PM Modi and BJP governance, the representation of Muslims in central government jobs has increased from 5 per cent to 9.5 per cent. Congress treated Muslims as second-class citizens, while the BJP wants them to live with pride and self-respect as Indians,' said Agarwal while addressing a press conference.

He added that during the Congress rule, Muslims were often confined to roles like cobblers, painters, tailors, band players, and puncture repairers.

He also addressed the issue of resource allocation, contrasting former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that Muslims have the first right to the nation's resources with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approach of prioritising the poor, irrespective of caste or religion.

'The Muslim community, which has 15 per cent of the population, has benefited 31 per cent in PM Awas Yojana, 37 per cent in Ujjwala Yojana, 36 per cent in Mudra, 42 per cent in Jan Dhan Yojana, 33 per cent in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and 70 per cent in Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Srijan Guarantee Yojana,' he claimed.

On the issue of Waqf properties, Agarwal cited religious texts advocating transparency in financial matters and questioned the undocumented transfer and use of Waqf land.

He alleged that Waqf properties meant for the welfare of poor Muslims have been misused by vested interests.

Referring to the 2006 Sachar Committee report, he claimed that at the time, India had around 4.5 lakh Waqf properties covering 6 lakh acres, which should have yielded an annual income of Rs 12,000 crore. However, only Rs 163 crore was reported, suggesting large-scale misappropriation.

He further noted that by 2025, Waqf land had expanded to nearly 37.94 lakh acres, but the income had only marginally increased to Rs 166 crore, far below the estimated potential of Rs 1 lakh crore annually.

Agarwal alleged that religious and Congress leaders have historically benefited from these assets, and the new Waqf reforms are facing opposition from those with vested interests.

Citing a Karnataka-Minority Commission report, he said that out of 54,000 Waqf properties in the state, 29,000 have been encroached or misused.

He also named several Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, CK Jaffer Sharif, CM Ibrahim, and Rahman Khan, accusing them of involvement in the illegal occupation of Waqf lands.

He cited an incident in Jaipur, where Fazlu Rehman, National General Secretary of the Muslim Personal Law Board, allegedly sold off Hidayat Trust land for unauthorised colonies.

Agarwal emphasised that if Waqf properties begin to generate their full potential income, it could transform the future of the Muslim community through better access to education, healthcare, and employment.

He said that the new reforms are aimed at the upliftment of poor Muslims.

He urged party workers to counter opposition narratives with facts and to communicate the benefits of the new law to the Muslim community.

When asked, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has objected to the Waqf Act, questioning whether Muslims can be appointed in a Hindu Devsthan, he said that if Gehlot has this single concern, he should say that he agrees to the Act but has a concern.

He claimed that the Waqf 'loot' has to be stopped, which is why this new law has been enacted.

'On Waqf land, soon, there will be hospitals, schools and colleges and orphanages coming up. PM Narendra Modi has planned all these things. Lives of Muslims have to be made better. If 20 per cent of Muslims stay poor, how can India become 'developed' by 2047'? he said.

/IANS