The Majlis decision to snap ties with the Congress government has received the ‘wholehearted’ support of United Muslim Action Committee, an umbrella group comprising various Muslim organisations. The Action Committee which met here on Wednesday endorsed the Majlis decision and resolved to launch a campaign to expose the ‘misdeeds’ of the government.
The Action Committee will commence its campaign from November 25 soon after the tenth day of Muharram. “We will visit the nook and corner of the State to tell people about this communal government”, said Abdul Rahim Qureshi, chairman, Action Committee.
Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, he said members of the Action committee under the aegis of the United Muslim Forum had successfully campaigned for the Congress in 2004 and 2009.
“Now we will campaign against the Congress. We will ensure that not a single Muslim vote goes to Congress”, said Majlis president, Asaduddin Owaisi.
To a question he clarified that the Jamate Islami Hind (JIH) was not part of the campaign in 2009 and now too it was not there. The JIH, which was a major constituent of the Forum, has distanced itself from the Majlis following some internal differences .
Though the Majlis has its stronghold in the old city of Hyderabad, nevertheless the party wields considerable influence in several Muslim dominated towns in Telangana districts and to some extent in Rayalaseema. The party might not win on its own in these pockets but can definitely tilt the scales in favour of candidates it chooses to support.
Therefore, the ensuing campaign of the Action Committee is seen as a strategy by the Majlis to ‘expose’ the congress government as also to consolidate its own position in areas outside the State capital.
The Action Committee plans to enlist the support of SCs, STs and other weaker sections in its campaign against the congress.
Today’s meeting took serious note of the continued closure of shops in and around Charminar. “This is intended to hit hard the Muslim economy”, Mr. Owaisi said.
Police questioned
He questioned the police action in allowing the wife of the Deputy Chief Minister to offer ‘puja’ at the Bhagya Laxmi temple on Tuesday, while traders were not allowed to open their shops. “This clearly shows the involvement of the government in the temple issue. The day is not far when the chief minister will also come here for darshan”, the Majlis leader remarked.
In this context he referred to the construction work going on at the Shiv Mandir near the Charminar police station in total contravention of the heritage monument rules.
The Archaeological Survey of India had been informed about this development, he said.
In the case of Badeshahi Ashoorkhana government had removed all encroachments following court order. Why can’t it do the same in respect of Bhagya Laxmi temple?
“This is the intellectual dishonesty of the Congress when it comes to temple”, Mr. Owaisi said and added that Charminar should be seen as a heritage and not as Hindu-Muslim issue.
Letter to Governor
The Majlis would soon submit a letter to the Governor about withdrawal of its support to the Congress government. The party was not a pre-poll ally and need not submit such a letter. “Since we have supported the government during the no confidence motion we will give a formal letter anyway”, Mr. Owaisi said.
