The Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (MIM) cannot be cowed down by arrests and judicial remand and is prepared to take the battle to its logical end, asserted the Majlis president, Asaduddin Owaisi.
“I am ready to fight whichever way the government chooses to — democratically or otherwise,” he thundered. Mr. Asaduddin was addressing a large congregation at the ‘Milad-un-Nabi’ programme organised at Darussalam here in the late hours of Thursday. Mr. Asaduddin, who spoke well past midnight, threw an open challenge to the Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, to book cases against his party leaders. “Let us see who will beat a retreat. Not a single vote of the 80 lakh strong minorities will go to the Congress this time,” he asserted.
Earlier, Mr. Asaduddin was given a tumultuous welcome when he arrived at the venue. The gathering broke the cordon and surged forward to catch a glimpse of ‘Asad bhai’ who had to repeatedly urge them to resume their seats. “I am not a film star that you want to see me. Just listen to me and act when the time comes,” he said.
Lambasts Congress
Holding the Congress government responsible for the present troubles of Majlis, Mr. Asaduddin said if the Chief Minister had any political wisdom, he would have confined the issue just to the State. “Magar woh Akbar ka baja itna bajaya ke woh hero ho gaye,” (But he played up Akbaruddin’s speech so much that he has now become an all-India figure.)
As the crowd went into raptures, he asked the people to show their enthusiasm on the day of polling. “Shed despair and disappointment. Don’t you know God has purchased the lives of the faithful in lieu of ‘Jannat’ (paradise)?” he said referring to a Quranic verse.
CM’s self-goal
The communal stand of the Congress has got exposed after his arrest, Mr. Asaduddin said. The Chief Minister wanted to pin down the Majlis and the United Muslim Front but he ended up ‘making a self-goal,’ he remarked. “In 2014 elections, Mr. Kiran Kumar will definitely lose, but I will come back and so would all my seven MLAs,” he declared.
Mr. Asaduddin clarified that the Majlis was not against Hindus or Hinduism but was against Hindutva forces – the Sangh Parivar, VHP and BJP. He defended his party MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri’s controversial speech. He said the latter had not insulted Mahatma Gandhi. The Majlis has the highest regard for the Mahatma, he said and added that Majlis need not learn respect for the Mahatma from ‘his killers.’
Salutes Ambedkar
But he considered Ambedkar a bigger leader than Mahatma Gandhi. “For me, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad were bigger leaders than Gandhi. In my view, the biggest political leaders of Independent India were Abdul Wahid Owaisi and Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi,” the Majlis leader remarked referring to his late grandfather and father.
The Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was being targeted for his statement that RSS and BJP were running terror camps as he was a Dalit leader, Mr. Asaduddin said and asked Mr. Shinde to order a fresh probe into all the bomb blasts that took place in the country after demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.
Mr. Asaduddin also spoke of halting Congress march to Parliament in 2014. The Majlis would also ensure that the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi’s wish of becoming Prime Minister remains a pipe dream.
Police flayed
Taking pot-shots at police, he dared them to record his speech and post it on YouTube. In a choked voice, Mr. Asaduddin said he was saddened by the absence of his brother Mr. Akbaruddin. “History shows that it is the righteous that always emerge victorious,” he said. Mr. Akbaruddin, he said, was always a ‘mujahid’ (crusader) and he would remain so.
He condemned the serious charge of sedition levelled against his brother and wondered why Hindu religious leader Swami Kamalananda’s bail was not opposed. He questioned the police why they have not taken action against Congress leaders against whom non-bailable warrants were pending.
