All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi sounded the Telangana Assembly poll bugle and instructed party workers to start preparing for the elections.
The Hyderabad parliamentarian was addressing a public meeting in the sprawling grounds of the party headquarters in Darussalaam on Thursday that marked the 65th anniversary of the party’s “foundation day”.
“Those who are office-bearers in Telangana, prepare for elections. Consider that the Assembly election bugle has been sounded. Keeping this in mind, we have to go to our areas, Assembly constituencies, and villages with this message,” Mr Owaisi said.
He appealed to party workers to fight against hatred so that peace emerged victorious, and also for the continued progress of Telangana. “Do you want the Constitution or the bulldozer? Do you prefer Ambedkar, who drafted the Constitution, or the bulldozer? Will you prefer love, or oppression? You have to decide this. God willing, we will save the Constitution and ensure the victory of Ambedkar so that bulldozers lose. We will ensure victory of peace so that oppression ends,” he said.
Touching upon the death of Khadeer Khan from Medak, whose death was caused, allegedly, by police brutality, Mr Owaisi demanded action more than suspension of policemen. He said that a case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code be booked against the accused cops, and opined that suspension was not punishment.
Expressing concerns over the killing of innocent civilians on account of vigilantism and highhandedness of members of State machinery, Mr Owaisi said that the party would extend financial assistance to Mr Khan’s widow. Similarly, the party would help the family of Junaid and Naseer, both residents of Rajasthan. who were killed, allegedly, by cow protection vigilantes whom Mr Owaisi described as terrorists.
Welcoming the Supreme Court judgment laying down the process to appoint Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Owaisi hoped that this would bring about greater transparency and independence for the Election Commission.
The Hyderabad parliamentarian criticised External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his reported comments in which he described India as a smaller economy against the backdrop of the Chinese transgressions along the India-China border.
AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi traced the party’s history and the progress the party had made and the institutions it had created.
