AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi reacted to Rahul Gandhi‘s statement that Muslims are the most attacked in the BJP government in India and said political secularism has destroyed the Muslims of India. “Rahul Gandhi should teach this to Ashok Gehlot. When Junaid and Nasir were killed in Rajasthan, the Congress chief minister took 15 days to meet their family members. The families were promised an ex gratia of ₹15 lakh, while others get ₹50 lakh. In Chhattisgarh, your Congress government sponsored Dharam Sandad where Mahatma Gandhi was abused. Tell them,” Owaisi said. Read | Rahul Gandhi’s reaction to ‘Khalistan slogans’ in US and a political row: Watch
Answering a question at a gathering in San Francisco, Rahul Gandhi said Muslims are feeling the impact of the BJP government the most as they are the main target while other minorities like Sikhs, Christians, Dalits and tribals are also feeling the same. “You can’t cut hatred with hatred, but only with love and affection,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“What is happening to Muslims in India today happened to Dalits in the 1980s. If you went to UP in the 1980s, this was happening with Dalits…We have to challenge it, fight it and do it with love and affection and not with hatred and we will do that,” he added.
While the BJP considered his parallel between the Muslims now and the Dalits in the 1980s when the Congress government was in power as a gaffe by Rahul Gandhi, his comments on Muslims drew flak from Owaisi.
“You supported Amit Shah in 2019 to bring in UAPA. This is the reason why the maximum number of Muslims, Dalits and government dissenters are incarcerated in jail. Why did you support UAPA? Why did you welcome the Babri Masjid verdict? Your government in Madhya Pradesh wants Hindu religious festivals from the party platform. Is this Mohabbat ki dukan?” Owaisi said.
“I have been saying this from the beginning that because of political secularism Indian Muslims have been destroyed. Their empowerment did not take place. Political secularism was used to end Muslim representation in Assembly and Parliament. I have and will be against political secularism,” Owaisi said.
“I stand by the secularism that the Constitution told us. Now you will say secularism was added to the Constitution later, but liberty, equality, fraternity, justice, right to equality are all secularism. Rahul Gandhi should talk on these issues without wasting his words,” Owaisi said.
