Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an exclusive interview to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi. (Photo Credit: News18)
In an exclusive interview to Network18, Amit Shah said it would have been a law and order situation had no action been taken after the attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.
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- Last Updated:February 21, 2022, 19:50 IST
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An isolated incident cannot be linked to the law and order situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said in an exclusive interview to Network18 while talking about the attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi’s car while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.
“An isolated incident can’t be linked to law and order situation. It becomes a law and order situation if no action is taken after the attack on Owaisi. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government arrested two accused within two hours. We held a security assessment meeting within three hours. Within eight hours, we took a call and offered him Z security. He refused, which is another thing, but we left no stone unturned,” Amit Shah said while speaking exclusively to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi.
Shots were fired at Owaisi’s vehicle on February 3 when the Hyderabad MP was returning from Hapur in western Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. Turning down the ‘Z’ security cover extended to him after the attack, Owaisi had instead urged the government to charge those who attacked him with stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
In an interview to Network18 earlier this month, CM Yogi Adityanath had condemned the attack on Owaisi but said the AIMIM leader, too, should be cautious in his elections speeches.
Asked about the CM’s assertion, Amit Shah said: “It is an individual opinion, but I think every person should have security. And we offered him Z security.”
The Union minister added that Owaisi is the “centre of attention among Muslim youth”.
“Owaisi ji travels across the country. He mainly addresses the minority and he gets votes each time… It is not possible in every election, but he is the center of attraction among the youth…”
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