New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey has stirred controversy with remarks aimed at former Chief Election Commissioner Dr. S.Y. Qureshi, following a social media exchange related to the Waqf Act.
The exchange unfolded on the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), after Dr. Qureshi posted on April 17, alleging that the Waqf Act represented “a dangerous conspiracy” to seize Muslim-owned land. In his post, Qureshi expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would intervene, while also criticizing what he described as a misinformation campaign surrounding the legislation.
Wakf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister / evil plan of the govt to grab Muslim lands. I’m sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well.
— Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) April 17, 2025
Responding to this post on April 20, Dubey accused Qureshi of bias during his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner, referring to him as a “Muslim Commissioner” rather than a neutral official. He further alleged that under Qureshi’s leadership, a significant number of Bangladeshi nationals were added to the electoral rolls in Jharkhand’s Santhal Pargana region.
आप चुनाव आयुक्त नहीं,मुस्लिम आयुक्त थे,झारखंड के संथालपरगना में बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठिया को वोटर सबसे ज़्यादा आपके कार्यकाल में ही बनाया गया ।पैगंबर मुहम्मद साहब का इस्लाम भारत में 712 में आया,उसके पहले तो यह ज़मीन हिंदुओं की या उस आस्था से जुड़ी आदिवासी,जैन या बौद्ध धर्मावलंबी की… https://t.co/yf8uBjmoYN
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) April 20, 2025
Dubey’s remarks also referenced the historical presence of various faiths in India, asserting that prior to the arrival of Islam in 712 AD, the land belonged to Hindus, tribals, Jains, or Buddhists.
The remarks have sparked sharp reactions on social media and are likely to draw further scrutiny given the sensitivity around religious identity, election integrity, and communal harmony. There has been no official response from Dr. Qureshi as of the time of this report.
