Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies of attempting to undermine Muslim religious institutions through the Waqf Act, PTI reported.
Addressing a rally in Nanded on Monday evening, Owaisi alleged that the recently passed Waqf Act is being used to “lock mosques” and challenge the ownership of centuries-old dargahs, claiming the government aims to transfer their control to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
He urged voters to reject the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena in the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation elections scheduled on January 15.
Owaisi asserted that Muslims are "not tenants or second-class citizens" and India is their country too.
AIMIM has fielded 37 candidates for the 81-seat Nanded civic body.
"People should vote against these parties to send a strong message to those seeking to finish off the Waqf Board in the state and the country," Owaisi said.
"The intention of the government through the Waqf Act is to lock the mosques, show that dargahs which are over 100 years old are not owned by Waqf and that the ASI owns them. This election is taking place after the Waqf Act came into force. People must send a message to Shinde, Pawar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we don't accept this law,” he said.
"People should use their right to vote against this law that is made against mosques, dargahs and kabrastans," he added.
Owaisi also said that the SIR (Special Intensive Revision-conducted in several states) will take place in Maharashtra, and if people want their names to remain in the electoral rolls, they should vote this time.