Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday claimed that the Congress treated Muslims as a vote bank. He added that Muslims living in Gujarat were better off and happier than those from other states, PTI reported.

“For over 50 years, the Congress treated Muslims as mere vote bank, as a result Muslims lagged behind in education, employment and in terms of economic development,” Rupani said after inaugurating the renovated office of state Waqf Board in Gandhinagar. He added that vote bank politics should come to an end.

Rupani said the commissioning of the Sachar Committee in 2005 to examine the status of Muslims by the Congress government at the Centre was an example of “appeasement politics” by the party. “It was the Congress which created a rift between Hindus and Muslims and incited them against each other,” said Rupani. “Ever since the BJP came to power, no communal violence has taken place. Such riots took place only during the Congress rule.”

Rupani also said the highest number of pilgrims to Haj were from Gujarat, according to The Times of India.