CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai on Thursday criticized the lack of Muslim representation in the BJP Parliamentary party and said that the victorious INDIA bloc has defeated fascism and communal hate despite not forming a government.

Pointing out that not one of the 283, 303 and 240 BJP MPs elected in 2014, 2019 and 2024 were from the minority community, Selvaperunthagai said that the murderous attack and hate speeches against Muslims happened because the 10-year BJP regime did not have a single member of the minority community.

Alleging that the anti-minority approach continues in the incumbent NDA government the same way the BJP regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed its two tenures without representation for 25 crore minorities, who account for 20% of the country's population.

Claiming that the absence of a Muslim member in the Modi cabinet was proof of the religious hate politics pursued by the BJP, the TNCC chief said that the Himalayan victory for Indian democracy was evident from a Dalit candidate securing over 5.5 lakh votes and winning Faizabad constituency comprising Ayodhya.

Stating that the victory must be perceived as a major victory for the efforts of Rahul Gandhi to save democracy, Selvaperunthagai said that as many as 31 of the 99 Congress MPs were from SC/ST community and the numbers of the Congress has risen to 102 in the Lok Sabha now.

Though the victorious INDIA bloc did not form government after the recent Parliamentary polls, fascism and communal hate has been defeated, the TNCC chief said, adding that it was a matter of great pride for the people of Tamil Nadu that the INDIA bloc secured a resounding victory in the state and set a role model for the rest of the country.