Owaisi urges EC action on Shiv Sena for seeking burqa ban

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday asked the Election Commission (EC) to take action against Shiv Sena for its "polarising" editorial in its mouthpiece Samna seeking a ban on the burqa in order to ensure national security.

"I request the EC to take cognizance of this article because it is trying to create divisions and polarisation within society. This is a grey violation of the Model Code of Conduct," Owaisi said at a press conference here.

Owaisi accused the Shiv Sena of indulging in what he termed as "dog vigil politics" because, as he said, it stands to lose the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

He said, "Shiv Sena knows very well that they are going to lose huge no of seats that is why they are indulging in what I call dog vigil politics."

Citing a ban on the burqa in Sri Lanka after the deadly Easter Sunday attacks, which claimed the lives of over 250 people, Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna' in its editorial published today demanded the imposition of a similar ban in India.

The Shiv Sena editorial says, "It has happened in Ravan's Lanka. When will it happen in Ram's Ayodhya? We ask this question to the PM as he is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Wednesday".

Owaisi asserted that the choice of dress is a fundamental right enshrined in the Indian constitution.

"The Supreme Court judgements on privacy and Article 377 clearly lay down that CHOICE is a fundamental right which cannot be snatched. You can wear jeans, burkha, and veil or even you do not wear anything," the parliamentarian said.

He added: "Tomorrow they may seek a ban on beard, skull cap as well. Where will they carry this country?"

"Unfortunately and deliberately when you talk about constitution these Hindutva people completely go mad," Owaisi said referring to the Shiv Sena as a 'popat master'.

He further said: "Shiv Sena talks nonsense. When it comes to other countries, I need to comment on that because there are laws in India which popat Shiv Sena cannot understand. India is a country who celebrates every religion. Shiv Sena is a popat master."

When argued that the demand may help combat terrorism, he said that India needs to fight to the extremist mindset, not with the dress.

He said: "May I know what dress Pragya Thakur, Colonel Purohit and Devendra Upadhyay were wearing? The fight against terrorism is not with the dress. You have to fight that mindset. Terrorism has itself become a religion."

Meanwhile, BJP's national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said there was no need for the imposition of any kind of ban in the country.

Shiv Sena is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and part of Maharashtra government.

Republican Party of India, another NDA ally, leader Ramdas Athwale also disagreed with Sena's proposal to ban the burqa in public places and said it is a tradition in India and there should be no ban on it.

The Sri Lankan government on Sunday adopted measures to impose a complete ban on all types of burqas and face covers in the wake of the horrific terror bombings that rattled the entire country on Easter Sunday, claiming lives of more than 250 people and injuring hundreds.