Asaduddin Owaisi, MP and president of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, visited Vijayapura on Tuesday October 25 to campaign for his party’s candidates in the municipal corporation elections.
He addressed a rally and met local leaders in the evening. AIMIM is fielding four candidates in the city corporation elections for 35 wards.
At the rally, the MP criticised calls by some BJP leaders to boycott Halal meat describing it as an attempt to target the minorities for no fault of theirs. He also claimed that this boycott call is a conspiracy to make illicit money by vested interests.
“Do you know that some BJP leaders are collecting money from traders to allow them to continue Halal business? I have video proof to support my claims,” he said.
He chided BJP leaders like Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for his ‘hate-filled speeches against Muslims‘. “I don’t understand why leaders like Mr. Yatnal keep referring to Pakistan in all their speeches. We don’t do that. But surprisingly, several BJP leaders, like Mr. Yatnal keep doing that. It is because they like that country very much. I think that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taught him to do so. Mr. Yatnal should explain why he does that so frequently,” he said.
“Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas is only a slogan for Mr Modi and his party. He does not care for the welfare of the minorities. Muslims are living under constant threat of harassment, assault, insult and intimidation in Mr. Modi’s India. Muslims’ food, beard and cap are under threat under BJP’s rule,” he said.
He criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for failing to act on allegations of 40% commission in government contracts. “There have been several complaints of corruption, but the BJP government headed by Mr. Bommai has not ordered an inquiry into these allegations. It is the responsibility on Mr. Bommai to end the commission culture in Karnataka,” he said.
At a media conference, he clarified that his party would not enter into a coalition with any party in Karnataka in the near future. “There were some such attempts in the past. Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy had met the Telangana Chief Minister and formed an alliance. I was requested to campaign for the JD(S) in some seats, and I did. But that arrangement does not exist any more. This time, we are fighting all the polls independently,” Mr. Owaisi said.
He dismissed allegations that AIMIM’s pro-Muslim stance and related political activities are helping the BJP to consolidate its vote base.
“Some Congress leaders have been going around saying AIMIM is the B team of the BJP. It is false and meaningless. We are an independent party, and we are using our own political strategy for the benefit of the party, and the country. We don’t need any advice from the Congress. Congress leaders should set their house in order rather than make comments about us. They should ensure that incidents like the dissidence and internal fighting in Rajasthan do not recur. It is due to the weak leadership of Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi that the BJP won a second term. If the Congress is in this state, it is because of these leaders,’‘ he said.
