AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has cited Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the Michigan Senate race to call for greater political representation of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, saying that “Abdul” in the state should no longer bow before others but aspire to become a legislator.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Owaisi said El-Sayed’s election as the first Muslim to the US Senate had challenged stereotypes about Muslim political participation.
“Abdul succeeded as a senator in Michigan. After I spoke, did Abdul become an issue or not? The BJP used to say that Abdul fixes (tyre) punctures. In a democracy, Abdul became a senator. Now, Abdul in UP will not bow down before anyone but become an MLA,” he said.
Owaisi, who has addressed public meetings in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh in recent weeks, said Muslims should strengthen their political identity rather than remain confined to supporting other political parties.
Owaisi Criticises Centre’s Stand on Krishi Bhawan Mosque
Owaisi also criticised the Union government’s position before the Delhi High Court on the century-old mosque located inside the Krishi Bhawan complex in New Delhi.
The Centre has argued that a permanent religious structure within a government office complex is impermissible and incompatible with the secular character of government property.
Owaisi said the mosque existed before Delhi became the national capital and that Lutyens’ Delhi was developed around it. He described the mosque as part of the country’s cultural heritage and said it was registered as a Waqf property.
Questioning the government’s position, he referred to the Bhoomi Puja held for the Central Vista project.
“Apparently, secularism is not offended by the use of one faith’s rituals for a public project, but is allergic to a Masjid that has stood there even before 1912, long before Krishi Bhawan was even built,” he said.
Questions Opposition’s SIR Protest Strategy
On the Opposition’s protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the AIMIM’s participation in the campaign, Owaisi said he had opposed the exercise from the beginning.
He said the AIMIM had developed an app to help ensure that all eligible voters remained on the electoral rolls.
Owaisi also questioned why the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) were not being asked about their absence from the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, while questions were being raised about his participation.
Challenges BJP’s Claims on Illegal Immigrants in Hyderabad
Responding to media reports that the SIR exercise in Hyderabad had not identified any illegal immigrants among voters, Owaisi questioned the BJP’s earlier allegations about undocumented immigrants being included in the electoral rolls.
“Now, what will Amit Shah say? What will the BJP leaders say? You may remember that they had promised to carry out a surgical strike in Hyderabad (against illegal immigrants in electoral rolls). They have dug up a mountain, but not even a mouse has come out of it,” he said.
He added that if the media reports were accurate, the “Sangh people” would have to answer for their earlier claims.
