Mumbai: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday appealed to the Muslim community in Maharashtra to unite, vote and become leaders. Addressing a public meeting in Mumbra, the AIMIM chief said, ‘You cannot be united just by raising slogans. ,
Owaisi also took a dig at leaders coming from political families of Maharashtra including Uddhav Thackeray. “When NCP’s Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule can become leaders, Uddhav Thackeray can become leaders only by virtue of being their father’s son, Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis can become leaders, can Maharashtra’s Muslims Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde,” he said.
The AIMIM chief is in Navi Mumbai, where the national executive meeting of his party is being held.
Live: Barrister @asadowaisi and AIMIM MP @imtiaz_jaleel Addressing a public meeting in Mumbra.#Objective #AsaduddinOwaisi #Mumbai https://t.co/IAaWapvZf3— AIMIM (@aimim_national) February 25, 2023
‘State sponsored violence’: Owaisi on activities of ‘cow protectors’
Earlier on Saturday, Asaduddin Owaisi accused the Narendra Modi government of going soft on ‘gau rakshak’ vigilante groups, who he claims serve the cause of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Talking to reporters in Navi Mumbai, he said the alliance for the upcoming civic polls as well as the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Maharashtra next year would be decided at an appropriate time.
Referring to the killing of two men from Rajasthan in Haryana on February 16, Owaisi said the Modi government has given such ‘gau rakshaks’ (cow protectors) a long rope.
Nasir and Junaid, both residents of Ghatmika village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15 and their bodies were found the next day in a burnt car at Loharu in Bhiwani, Haryana.
Owaisi said, “This is nothing but state-sponsored violence against Muslims. The activities of such groups further the BJP’s cause. They (BJP) want to create hatred against Muslims.”
On February 16, five persons were booked at Gopalgarh police station under sections 302 (murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 365 (kidnapping), 367 (grievous hurt followed by kidnapping) and 368 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR was registered under u/s 201 (causing destruction of evidence).
Owaisi alleged that the Modi government may take action against the BBC for an adverse documentary, an apparent reference to the Income Tax department’s search against the new agency, while such “terrorist groups” remain untouched.