Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at BJP on slowdown, NRC in Assam

Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who often says what no one else dares to say, lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over GDP growth falling to 5% in the first quarter of the current financial year, and tall claims made about the National Register of Citizens in Assam.

He said the myth of “intruders” had been busted and the BJP should learn a lesson from it. Home Minister Amit Shah had claimed that 50 lakh intruders were in Assam. Mr Owaisi asked whether “you were telling lies or the NRC is telling the truth”.

The late Indrajit Gupta had said that 40 lakh people were illegal. S.K. Sinha had claimed that all the districts of Assam will become Muslim dominated. Former minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal of Kanpur had also stated in Parliament that there were 50 lakh intruders in Assam. Now the NRC has shown that only 19 lakh have been excluded.

Mr Owaisi said BJP leaders of Assam are mum in frustration, but have said they will not accept the NRC. After this outcome they should stop asking for the NRC for the entire nation, he said.

“You have to end it,” Mr Owaisi said. He said that many people in Assam have told him that their parents’ names were included, but their children were excluded from the final list.

On the GDP, Mr Owaisi asked why the BJP is silent on the matter. “The GDP growth rate fell from 5.8% to 5% — who is responsible for this situation? People are not in a position to buy biscuits, soaps are sold at under rate and factories are forced to declare a three-day holiday every week and people are losing their jobs. GDP fell to 5% and you are speaking about a 5 trillion economy!” Mr Owaisi said sarcastically.