Asaduddin Owaisi attacks BJP over 'Muslims sanctity' remark

'We gave Muslims sanctity? Who are 'We' asks Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi today slammed Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad over his 'sanctity' remarks while addressing a gathering in Bahadurpura assembly constituency in Hyderabad.

Owaisi said that rights of Muslims in India are protected by the Constitution, not the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government.

"We gave them sanctity? Who are ‘We'? It is the Constitution that has given rights, our rights are protected under that," said Owaisi.

He was responding to the IT minister's remark in which he said, "We have got 13 chief ministers of our own. We are ruling the country. Have we victimised any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? Have we dismissed them? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?"

Addressing the Mindmine Summit in the National Capital, Prasad had said, "We salute diversity and culture of India. There are two ways of looking at it. Let me be very frank today. There has been a campaign against us for a very long time, but today we are here because of blessings of people of India".

As IT minister, Prasad said, he has visited many Muslim-dominated villages where many Muslim youth are running Common Service Centres that help people avail of government services through the Internet.

The minister cited the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi short-listing a Muslim tea garden labourer in Jalpaiguri, Karimul Haque, for his exemplary work.

Prasad said Haque has converted his motorcycle into an ambulance, rushing whosoever falls sick to the hospital and in the process, has saved nearly 2,000 lives.

"We never saw Haque's religion or whether he voted for us or not. If there are certain uncalled for voices, the Prime Minister addresses the concerns, the CMs (chief ministers) address concerns. Yogi (Adityanath) is a popular leader. You are seeing his instances of good governance and inclusive development," Prasad said.

He is of the view that the politics of 'want' relating to bread and of 'identity' based on caste, community, religion and region is over now.