Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday invited Congress chief Mr Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah to contest against him from Hyderabad in 2019.
Mr Owaisi was interacting with reporters about an editorial of the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna that questioned if he was an Indian, and Mr Gandhi’s visit to Charm-inar. He said, “I am sure that when he sees this great, historical and beautiful monument of Charminar which belongs to the culture of my ancestors, I can only tell Mr Gandhi that 10 days ago Mr Amit Shah visited my constituency and said that they will ensure that Hyderabad will be Owaisi and Majlis Mukt Hyderabad.”
Mr Owaisi said, “I am humbly requesting both party chiefs to contest against me and the people of Hyderabad will give a befitting reply to both.”
Responding to the Shiv Sena’s comment asking him to return to Afghani-stan if his ancestors were the descendants of the Mughal emperor Babar, Mr Owaisi said his ancestors were from India and that he is an Indian. “Wherever you go, you will find Muslim graveyards, those graveyards are a sign of my loyalty to this great country.”
Referring to the proposed ordinance to commence construction of the Ram temple, he said, “We will see how you will do it. I challenge them.”
