Hyderabad: Blaming political secularism for the destruction of Indian Muslims, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi questioned Rahul Gandhi about his generalization of the attacks faced by minorities during his speech in the US when he was asked about Indian Muslims.
He said the representation of Indian Muslims in the Parliament and State Assemblies has been affected by political secularism, paving the way to the end of representative reservation based on religion in the elected houses.
“I have been telling right from the beginning that through political secularism, Indian Muslims were destroyed. Due to political secularism, the empowerment of Indian Muslims did not happen. Political secularism was used to end Muslim representation in Assembly and Parliament. I have and will be against political secularism,” the Hyderabad MP told reporters here.
Reacting to Gandhi’s remarks in the US where the Congress leader had spoken about Muslims, Christians, Dalits and tribals “feeling attacked”, Owaisi said: “It is unreasonable. You were asked a question on Indian Muslims. But you said a similar thing happened to Dalits and Sikhs in the 1980s”.
“You should have told what is happening to Muslims. He should teach this to Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan Chief Minister). Rahul Gandhi should have also told how Junaid and Nasir were killed in Rajasthan (allegedly by right-wing groups in February). Your government in Chhattisgarh sponsored ‘Dharam Sansad’ where Mahatma Gandhi was abused (back in December 2021),” Owaisi said.
He further said that Congress supported the BJP government in 2019 on the amendment to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) because of which today majority of those in jails are Muslims, Dalits and the persons who are dissenters of the regime.
With PTI inputs