Attempt to use temple issue to save Modi in 2019, says Owaisi

MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said the Sangh Parivar wants to use Ram temple issue to save Narendra Modi in the 2019 general elections as he has failed on all fronts.

He said the RSS, VHP and BJP should not be allowed to polarize the voters on temple issue and justified the stand taken by Sunni Wakf Board's lawyer Kapil Sibal in Supreme Court that the hearing of the title suit be deferred till the elections.

Talking to reporters here, he said a leader of VHP has announced that the temple construction will begin in October 2018 while RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has stated that only a temple can come up in Ayodhya.

"These statements are all aimed at influencing and threatening Muslims and raking up the issue before the elections to save Mr Modi, who has failed to provide jobs, check farmers' suicides and his actions like demonetization and GST have destroyed business in the informal sector. The elections should be held on these real issues," he said.

"When you don't allow release of a film in Gujarat on the ground that it will influence the elections, how can you ignore the impact the temple issue may have?" he asked.

The MP also dismissed criticism of Sibal in a section of media and said he was representing Sunni Wakf Board in the apex court and not the Congress.

He reiterated that Sunni Wakf Board need at least six months to present its arguments before the court as a voluminous record of 17,000 documents need to be translated.

Replying to a query, the Hyderabad MP sad Parliament can't legislate on the temple till the matter is in the Supreme Court.

"We have separation of powers. The judiciary, executive and legislature are independent. If somebody wants to become a dictator, then people will decide," he said.

Owaisi said the issue of Babri Masjid was not an issue of Muslims but a matter of justice.

"Even after 25 years of the demolition of Babri Masjid, the case against the accused who instigated people through their provocative speeches and which led to the demolition has not been heard," he said.

He reiterated his support to the suggestion by Justice M.S. Liberhan (retd.), who had headed the commission probing the conspiracy behind the razing of the disputed structure, that the hearing of title suit be deferred till the criminal case was disposed of.

--IANS

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