Encounter in the name of religion: Owaisi slams BJP

New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the BJP on Thursday, accusing the party of running encounters "in the name of religion". He wondered whether it would also kill those who burnt two youths to death in Haryana in an encounter. He was referring to the killing of Junaid and Naseer in Haryana, allegedly by cow vigilantes, in February this year, PTI reported.

He was reacting to the encounter killing of Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and an accomplice, both wanted in the 2005 BSP MLA Umesh Pal murder case by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

He said that the UP administration is "tearing apart the rule of law", NDTV reported.

Addressing a gathering at Nizamabad in Telangana, he asked, "Whose government is in power in Haryana? Are houses not being bulldozed? Are encounters not done by firing bullets?... will you shoot at those who killed Junaid and Naseer?"

"... you do encounter in the name of religion. Can you eliminate the killers of Junaid and Naseer? You will not do. So far, one has been caught, and nine disappeared," he said.

"You want to do an encounter of the Constitution. You want to weaken the rule of law. Then what the courts, CrPC, IPC, judges, and public prosecutor are for?" the AIMIM leader questioned.

"If you decide that we will do justice with bullets, then close down courts. What will judges do? Rule of law should prevail... This is the work of court. Not yours. You nab the criminal. You get punishment for a criminal," Mr Owaisi said.