Mohan Bhagwat should lead cadres, stand at LoC: Owaisi slams RSS chief
Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), on Tuesday slammed those who question the patriotism of Muslims as he referred to the Armymen from Kashmir who laid down their lives fighting Pakistani terrorists at Sunjuwan in Jammu.
The Hyderabad lawmaker also attacked the government for "not learning lessons" from terror attacks on Army installations in the past.
Read: Govt seems to have run out of ideas on Kashmir
The so-called "9 pm" nationalists (those who appear on prime time tv debates) question the nationalism of Muslims and Kashmiri Muslims, Owaisi said in Hyderabad.
"In this (Sunjuwan attack) incident, five Kashmiri Muslims have laid down their lives. Why aren't you talking about it? This is a reminder to all those nationalists who question my integrity and love for this country," the AIMIM chief said.
He said, "This (terror attack) is not the first incident which has happened in Sunjuwan. Earlier, in 2003, terrorists had killed our soldiers in Sunjuwan."
A group of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists had struck the Sunjuwan military camp in Jammu early on Saturday, killing seven people.
"We have not learnt lessons from Uri, Pathankot and Nagrota (terror attacks)... we would like to know from the BJP government where the responsibility lies now?" Owaisi asked.
He wondered if the attack on the Army camp was a failure of the Intelligence Bureau and said lessons must be learnt and responsibility fixed as this a "continuous pattern" which has to end.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign tours, the AIMIM chief said, "I am sure he is free now after his recent foreign tours. He is yet to tweet on this attack. What is happening to the talks of our NSA (National Security Advisor) and the Pakistan NSA which took place in Bangkok."
Referring to the Sunjuwan terror attack, Owaisi said the "heinous act was committed by terrorists who came from a neighbouring country and no one can deny that".
"I condemn this attack. But we also have to know what are the answers from this government," he said.
To a question on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti making a fresh pitch for dialogue between India and Pakistan, Owaisi said, "It is for the BJP to say, because you (BJP) are supporting Mufti. Your own supported CM is saying talks should happen."
"I want to know from the Union government headed by Prime Minister Modi what is your opinion on this," he said.
On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks that the Sangh could "prepare" a military force faster than the Army, Owaisi said it was a "grave" statement.
Also Read: Army will take 6 months, RSS can ready forces in 3 days: Mohan Bhagwat
"How can a cultural organisation train cadres as an Army? Is he trying to say that they are (more) efficient than the Army? This statement has to be looked into very deeply.”
"How is it that you are comparing your cadre with the Army? No cadre can be compared with our Indian Army... This is a very grave statement which has lot of messages, repercussions and ramifications," he said.
"Does he know what goes into the making of an Indian soldier and how bravely our soldiers lay down their lives?" the lawmaker asked.
"In a lighter vein, if that is what he (Mohan Bhagwat) seriously believes, then he should lead and stand in front at the LoC and border," Owaisi said.
