Mumbai: As campaigning for the BMC polls neared its end on Saturday, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi told a rally in Madanpura on Saturday to not forget how young Muslim boys were allegedly being charged in riot cases and being killed in custody.
“Muslims have failed to raised their voice unitedly,” Mr. Owaisi blamed all active political parties for the community’s backwardness and the alleged injustices meted out to its members. “Even if we manage 15 corporators here, Matoshree [Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence] and Gujarat’s chaiwallah will feel the sting of the snake,” he said.
He said people in India were not allowed to consume beef despite the country being one of the world’s leading beef exporters. “Let them ban beef export. They won’t do so because it would affect many Jain and Marwari businessmen who have funded the BJP.”
Mr. Owaisi said it was better that the Muslim community elects more representatives to Parliament and the Assembly than engage in useless street fights. “Emotional street-fighting served no purpose and only resulted in deaths by police firing, but fighting in Parliament or the Assembly could help shake up the country and make the CM or the PM bend to the strength of the community.”
As the considerable gathering cheered his anti-Modi and anti-Thackeray comments, he said, “I am the only one who can dare them and so they don’t like us.”
