Owaisi Calls for Solidarity Against Terrorism, Raises Concerns on Communal Violence

Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the Chief Ministers of Bihar and Rajasthan, “who distribute certificates of secularism to others,” should emulate their Telangana counterpart K. Chandrashekar Rao and stand by the victims of terrorism. “The KCR government has on my request done what is needed to fight terrorists and stood by the rule of law, Owaisi referring to the help extended to the victim of shooting on the Jaipur-Mumbai train.

Addressing media queries on a range of issues, Owaisi said about the Gyanvapi mosque issue: “When the verdict on Babri Masjid came out, I had said the saffron parivar is not going to be satisfied. The Supreme Court had in its verdict called the demolition of the masjid an egregious and criminal act. When the ASI gives its report (after its survey) a narrative will be set in the Gyanvapi masjid issue also.”

“The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 bars the change in the religious character of a place,” Owaisi pointed out.

“I have been asking in Parliament for the setting up of a deradicalization wing by the home ministry. The railway constable who shot three Muslims had identified them by their religion,” Owaisi said, referring to the shooting incident on the Jaipur-Mumbai train in which four persons including one from Hyderabad were killed.

On the developments in Nuh, Haryana, where communal rioting has claimed six live,s he asked, “Why do we need IPC, CrPC and courts if justice is going to be meted out by demolition of people’s houses calling them illegal? The man who killed Junaid and Nasir is roaming free. The Rajasthan CM says Haryana is not cooperating in his arrest. Why can’t he seek the intervention of the Supreme Court?”

Asked for his response to the abrogation of Article 370, four years later, he said, “Three jawans have been killed in south Kashmir. Why is there no hue and cry over it? Is it because there is a BJP government at the Centre? There have been 251 incidents of violence between January 2021 and May 2023. Despite a higher number of terrorist incidents in the Valley of around 60 we are going to play the World Cup with Pakistan in Gujarat. The BJP had themselves earlier said that cricket and terrorism cannot go together.”

On the situation in Manipur, MIM president said, “Weapons are being looted in Manipur. Until the present CM stays, the violence against the Kukis is not going to stop.”

Asked if he would join the delegations visiting Manipur, Owaisi said, “If the Centre forms an all-party delegation I am ready to join. It is necessary to give assurance to the women of Manipur that we are with them. In the all-party meeting I had said that a debate should happen whether Modi talks on it or not. The local police are biased. How can they allow the loot of six lakh rounds of ammunition and 6,500 weapons.”

With regard to the Opposition alliance INDIA, Owaisi said. “I am not affected. I will remain independent.” He pointed out that he had have signed the no-confidence motion against the Centre filed by the BRS

On the BRS government announcement of a '1 lakh scheme for the minority communities, Owaisi said, “Similar benefits are being given to the other communities also and has nothing to do with politics and is not appeasement.” He said policy decisions taken by the elected government should not be stopped by the state Governor.