Nishikant Dubey slams former CEC Quraishi, calls him ‘Muslim commissioner’

His remarks come a day after the ruling party distanced itself from the MP’s comments against the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna

Day after his remarks against the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna triggered an uproar, senior BJP leader and MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday (April 20, 2025) attacked former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, calling him a “Muslim commissioner.”

Mr. Dubey’s remarks were posted on social media platform X. BJP national president J.P. Nadda had distanced himself and the party on Saturday from Mr. Dubey’s remarks on the SC and Justice Khanna. Mr. Nadda had said that the BJP did not subscribe to Mr. Dubey’s views and that he [Nadda] had advised all party leaders against making intemperate remarks.

Mr. Dubey had accused the Chief Justice of triggering “religious wars”.

Mr. Quraishi had said on X on April 17, that the “Waqf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister evil plan of the government to grab Muslim lands. I’m sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well.”

Also Read | BJP president’s distancing of the party from its MPs’ remarks is damage control, hypocrisy: Congress

Responding to the remarks, the BJP MP on Sunday said in Hindi, “You were not an election commissioner, you were a Muslim commissioner. The maximum number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Santhal Pargana in Jharkhand during your tenure.”

“Prophet Muhammad’s Islam came to India in 712. This land (Waqf) before that belonged to Hindus or tribals, Jains or Buddhists associated with that faith,” he added.

Mr. Dubey said his village Vikramshila was burnt down by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1189 and that the Vikramshila University gave the world its “first vice-chancellor” in Atish Dipankar.

Also Read | BJP rejects its MPs criticism of Supreme Court, says it respects courts

‘No partition’

He added, “unite this country, read history. Pakistan was created by dividing it. There will be no partition now.”

Mr. Dubey has often been aggressive in terms of his interventions both within and outside Parliament. Meanwhile, the BJP maintained silence on Sunday over his remarks on Mr. Quraishi.

The Congress has demanded that he be expelled from the BJP after his attack against the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Khanna.

Published - April 20, 2025 10:04 pm IST