Azmi's DNA remark on Muslims draws flak from political leaders

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi has once again attracted controversy for saying that Muslims who speak against his party should have their DNA tested.

Addressing a rally in Sant Kabir Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh on April 30, Azmi had said that Muslims who do not vote for his party are not "true Muslims".

Senior journalist and former politician Shahid Siddiqui condemned Azmi's controversial remark.

"The way he is bringing Islam and Muslims in the mid of elections, it shows that Abu Azmi does not know anything about Islam or science, as you can find out that Azmi is Indian or not through DNA but you cannot find out that he is a Muslim or not," Siddiqui said.

Azmi said on Wednesday that a Muslim cannot be a true person and lauded the efforts of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"A Muslim speaking against Samajwadi Party should have his DNA tested to see whether he is a true person or not, whether he is from RSS (Hindu radical outfit Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). DNA test should be done and I want to say that he cannot be a true Muslim," Azmi said.

Member of Parliament, Mohammed Adeeb, urged Muslims to boycott Azmi and said those who make such comments should worship Yadav.

"This is a big insult to Muslim community and Muslims should boycott him socially. Being a Muslim implies that a person who worship one god and Prophet. Those people who say this should worship Mulayam Singh Yadav," Adeeb said.

Slamming Azmi for his remarks, general secretary of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Satish Chandra Mishra, said that all this reflected their frustration.

"This shows their frustration and the mindset of the entire Samajwadi Party and their leaders have changed. They are trying to make such comments intentionally and they do not know what they are saying," Mishra said.

A leader of the Congress party, Rashid Alvi, took a jibe at Azmi and said that they were planning to get the DNA tested of the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots.

"I am afraid that Samajwadi Party wants to get the DNA tested of those victims of Muzzafarnagar riots, the family of the deceased and those who stayed in the camps who have voted against Samajwadi Party. If there is a planning to get their DNA tested then I cannot say anything. I think that is why he made such comment," Alvi said.

Making controversial remarks is nothing new for Azmi as recently he backed his party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for defending the rapists saying 'no death penalty for rape'.