Asaduddin Owaisi’s denial for chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ has led to huge controversy in the country. While several political leaders criticized Owaisi, it seems, the Hyderabad MP is now slowly implementing few compromising measures.
Speaking on the issue, while addressing his AIMIM party workers in Lucknow, Owaisi said, “We (Muslims) do not need ‘deshbhakt’ certification from anyone. We do not require any proof. Those who are questioning our patriotism are traitors. From 1857 to independence, these people had no existence while we shed our blood and were hanged by Britishers. We never pleaded for forgiving our sentence.”
Raising slogans of ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Jai Hind’ at the party meeting, Owaisi stressed that, Muslims have made greater contributions to the country, and they cannot be targeted just for the sake of a slogan. “We have groomed this country with our blood,” he said.
Speaking about the ban imposed on him by the administration in the state capital, Owaisi said that, Samajwadi Party government was hand in glove with the BJP.
“It is an open secret that the SP and BJP are two sides of the same coin. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has been given permission to hold public meetings and stay in Lucknow, but a ban was always imposed on us because in reality, the SP government is afraid of us,” Owaisi said.
Targeting SP and BJP, AIMIM Chief said, “Our fight is against both SP and BJP… AIMIM’s contest is with 10 per cent of the people as 90 per cent are with us. Our main plank will be ‘Jai Bheem-Jai Meem’.”
Owaisi claimed that the SP dispensation in UP has failed on all fronts and accused it of “deliberately” keeping Muslims backward.
“Muslims are pushed back in the field of education. It promised 18 per cent reservation to Muslims, which has not been fulfilled. The government has made no provision for the welfare of Muslims in its budget. SP never bothers about the Muslims and it fails to even utilise funds meant for minority development,” he said.
It is known that recently, an AIMIM candidate Pradeep Kori, had polled nearly 11000 votes for Bikapur assembly seat in Faizabad district. Referring to it, Owaisi said it indicated the trend of Muslim voters in UP.
Owaisi later held a closed door meeting with Rector of Islamic seminary Nadwatul Ulema, Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi, who is also the president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Hundreds of Nadwa students had gathered there and raised slogans in his favour, despite teachers of Nadwatul Ulema asking them to refrain from sloganeering.
At the same time, Hyderabad MP even witnessed the black flags and also slogans against him from the SP supporters, during his visit to the Old City.
By Phani Ch
