CNN-IBN

New Delhi, Jun 12: In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation of an Islamic cultural centre in Delhi. Now, more than two decades later, another member of the Gandhi family will inaugurate it and this gives an opportunity to the Congress to mend relations with the Muslim voters.

The India Islamic Cultural Centre was perhaps one of the last foundations that Indira laid before her assassination in October 1984.

“It was the end of the 14th Hijra, whole of the Islamic world was celebrating it and she (Indira) said that India should also do something to celebrate it,” India Islamic Cultural Centre, President, Siraj Uddin Qureshi said.

Delayed by almost a decade, the Centre, which combines the Mughal and the Persian style of architecture, is complete and twenty-two years after its foundation was laid, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will inaugurate it on Monday.

As the who's who from the Muslim community would be present at the event, it seems the Congress will try its best to win back Muslim votes.

“It’s not that we are wooing Muslims,” Congress, media in-charge, Tom Vaddakan said.

The need to woo Muslim voters is being strongly felt in the party.

The pro-US tilt cost the party in the recently held Assembly elections in Kerala and West Bengal. And with UP elections less than a year away, efforts to reach out to the minority community are being intensified by the Congress.