Owaisi: Are aliens' behind attacks on Muslims?

HYDERABAD: In wake of acquittal of 2002 Naroda Gam massacre accused, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appeal against the verdict. Referring to the acquittal of the accused in other incidents, including of Malyana massacre and the Macca Masjid blast case, the Hyderabad MP wondered if the killers were ‘aliens’, as no one blamed for the killings.

Addressing namazis on the last Friday prayers at Macca Masjid ahead of Id-ul-Fitr, Owaisi recalled how five namazis had succumbed to blasts at the mosque 16 years back and another nine in the subsequent police firing outside.

“The court acquitted all the accused and the government did not go for appeal. Similarly those involved in the Malyana massacre were acquitted. I wonder who took the lives of the victims,” he said.

On gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf’s killings, Owaisi reiterated that those who were involved enjoyed the backing of the government.

“The policemen were standing as if they were barathis. None of them took out their weapons to stop the culprits. Each revolver the accused used costs around Rs. 8 lakh. How did they manage them and the ammunition?” he said.

Terming those who were behind the attack as the ‘illegitimate offspring” of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, Owaisi alleged that the killers were part of a ‘terror module’.

“Those who attacked me were from the same terror cell. Who supplied them with weapons? Don’t you think they are following in the footsteps of Godse,” he referring to the attempt on his life during the UP election campaining.

The MIM chief also questioned former J&K governor Satyapal Malik’s remarks on Pulwama terror attack and wondered as to why he remained silent all these years.  “The incident took place in 2019 and you are speaking about it now. What kind of patriotism is it? If it was true, you should have resigned immediately,” he said.