All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday made damning revelations about the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) accusing the opposition coalition bloc of indulging in bigotry. Owaisi on Monday claimed that the INDIA bloc had not given him a ‘ticket’, reasoning that ‘they will not get a Hindu vote’.
At a conference in Delhi, the AIMIM chief explained why the party has not joined the INDIA coalition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to oppose the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance ( NDA).
“”…We are not a member of the INDIA Alliance and I don’t care… It would be suffocating there. Why don’t they revolt against the BJP based on their ideology… They told that if they give us ticket, they will not get Hindu vote…’ Owaisi was heard saying.
“I say this openly, they say this behind closed walls.” Owaisi further claimed.
Owaisi said: “My orientation does not accept that Muslims should not participate in elections. I believe that Muslims should participate in elections. You only win when you fight. Even if you lose, it is necessary to stand up in elections. You will never win if you do not participate in elections for fear of defeat. You have to lose two or three times before you win…”
Owaisi lashed out at the political scenario in India three years after independence, since the year the Indian Constitution came into effect. Owaisi alleged that the ‘secratic politics’ has been going on since 1950 and did not start in 2014, indicating that the Congress has been responsible for marginalizing Muslim politicians.
“Sectarian politics against Muslims has been going on since 1950, but it did not start in 2014… Conditions for Muslims have been rough from the beginning…” the AIMIM chief added.
Owaisi further targeted the political status of Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi. Owaisi said, “Rahul Gandhi lost in Amethi but won in Wayanad. Asaduddin Owaisi did not participate in the elections there. I didn’t have any deal with the BJP there. He won from Wayanad because there is the Muslim League there. The Muslim League saved him from drowning…’
Earlier this year, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, replying to a question on the Congress’ alliance with the Muslim League in Kerala, said: “The Muslim League is a completely secular party, there is nothing non-secular about them. I think the person (reporter) has not studied the Muslim League.”
The BJP had criticized Rahul Gandhi for his comment stating that the Congress leader’s push to remain acceptable in Wayanad called the Muslim League a “secular party”.
The comment earned him a lot of backlash as the Congress retaliated by saying that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which Rahul Gandhi called secular, is not the same as Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s Muslim League.
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Updated: Sep 18, 2023 10:21 PM IST
