Asaduddin Owaisi hits back after BJP brings "Muslim quota" into Telangana poll debate

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi: Pic/PTI

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party for repeatedly raising the issue of the existing Muslim reservation in Telangana, and said that the BJP is "lying" because the reservation in the state is not provided on the basis of religion.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the party will "abolish it if his party wins the election", news wire ANI reported.

Speaking to ANI, the AIMIM chief said: "BJP is lying. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the reservation being given to Muslims is not on the basis of religion. First, there is empirical data on the social and educational backwardness of Muslims. Second, late PS Krishnan drafted a report where it was stated that there are certain backward classes in Muslim community and they should get it (reservation), not the upper caste Muslims. Third, not every Muslim is getting it."

He further hit out at the BJP, questioning why does the party "hate" upliftment of the community. "This is in national interest to uplift their (backward Muslims) social educational backwardness...Why does BJP hate it for Muslims to become doctors, engineers, nurse, teachers, pursue MBA or PhD..." he said.

Notably, the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and scrapping of religion-based reservation were among the promises in the BJP's manifesto for Telangana released by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad.

In its campaign for the Telangana Assembly polls, the BJP has repeatedly raised the issue of Muslim reservation in the state.

Speaking at Chevella, Amit Shah said that the reservation for Muslims in Telangana was unconstitutional and it would be cancelled and the benefit extended to SCs, STs, and OBCs instead.

However, when asked that AIMIM is being seen supporting BRS openly in these elections, Owaisi refuted the allegations, saying that as many as nine candidates from his party are in the fray against the BRS.

"No, there are BRS candidates contesting against us on nine assembly seats. Wherever there isn't a candidate, we have urged the public to make 'Mamu' (KCR) the Chief Minister for the third time. So, we are contesting against them, they against us...There is nothing like that," the AIMIM MP added.

Owaisi also slammed the Congress Party after the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered Telangana government to stop all the disbursements under Rythu Bandu scheme, alleging the grand old party of having an 'anti-farmer' approach.

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"Congress party objected to it. This is an ongoing scheme and has been in implementation for years. What objection does the Congress party have against an ongoing scheme? Had this been a new scheme, we would have understood. But this isn't a new scheme. Sudden objection from the Congress party clearly implies that they do not want the farmers to benefit...You made it halt, this is sending out a wrong message across Telangana..." he said.

Coming down heavily on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his recent promise to rename the Hyderabad city as 'Bhagyanagar', the AIMIM chief said that the announcement made by the UP CM 'symbolises' his hate for the city.

"First, ask them where did this 'Bhagyanagar' come from? Ask him where has it been written. You hate Hyderabad that is why renaming is a symbol of that hatred. Hyderabad is our identity, how will you rename it?...They are just doing politics of hatred," he said.

On Saturday, Yogi Adityanath said that Hyderabad will be renamed 'Bhagyanagar' when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in Telangana. (With inputs from PTI)