Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his remarks about the possibility of a Muslim Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh and a burqa-clad woman becoming Prime Minister, saying such aspirations would never be fulfilled.
Speaking at the AajTak Panchayat event hosted by Senior Managing Editor Sweta Singh, Adityanath accused Owaisi of pursuing an agenda that he described as “anti-India, anti-Hindu and against the country’s constitutional values”.
“Owaisi will bring an agenda that is anti-India, anti-Hindu and against the country’s constitutional values. Such an agenda seeks to weaken India’s unity. That is why people like Owaisi have no place in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Responding to Owaisi’s remarks about a Muslim Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh and a burqa-clad woman becoming Prime Minister, Adityanath said, “Owaisi’s wish will never be fulfilled. That is why he will never come to power.”
The Chief Minister also targeted the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, alleging that their political approaches were similar to that of Owaisi’s AIMIM.
He accused the three parties of disregarding India’s interests and exploiting issues of faith and identity, and suggested that they should join hands.
Owaisi Cites Abdul El-Sayed’s US Senate Victory
Adityanath’s remarks came days after Owaisi referred to Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the Michigan Senate race in the United States while arguing for an independent Muslim political identity in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Owaisi said the “Abdul” of Uttar Pradesh would no longer bow before anyone but would emerge as an MLA. He cited El-Sayed’s victory as an example of a candidate succeeding in electoral politics irrespective of religious identity.
Owaisi also urged Muslims to move beyond supporting other political parties and build their own political identity.His remarks drew responses from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said the electoral success of Indians abroad should be a matter of pride, regardless of their names or religious identities.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma also welcomed El-Sayed’s victory, noting that he was of Egyptian origin and had contested the election as a Democratic Party candidate.
