AIMIM chief backs Haasan's remarks on Nathuram Godse

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday came out in support of Makkal Needhi Maiyam founder Kamal Haasan's remarks on Nathuram Godse and asked what else should a person who killed Mahatma Gandhi be called, if not a terrorist.

"The one who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whom we regard as Father of the Nation, what do we call him? We call him Mahatma or 'rakshas' (demon)? Call him terrorist or assassin?" he said.

"If not calling the person who killed Bapu as terrorist, what else you call him?" he told reporters here.

Haasan has said independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu"-- Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi, stoking a controversy with the BJP on Monday asserting that an "assassin" is very different from a terrorist.

Asked about criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why he talked about late Rajiv Gandhi's visit on warship INS Virat after many years, Owaisi asked why did the 'Canadian citizen' (actor Akshay Kumar) who interviewed Modi go on a ship.

"Why did he go? Canadian citizen has gone. Will you not say anything," he said.

Congress' social media strategist Divya Spandana recently slammed Modi for allegedly taking Akshay Kumar with him on board Indian Navy warship Sumitra.

Her attack on Modi came a day after he accused former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi of using INS Viraat as a "personal taxi" for a family holiday.

Setting to rest speculation about his citizenship, Akshay Kumar had earlier this month said he holds a Canadian passport.

On gang-rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Owaisi attacked Modi, saying he should speak about the Hapur incident as his party is in power in UP.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief over the reported gangrape of a widowed domestic help from Hapur following which she set herself on fire.

"..Where is the slogan of 'beti bachao, beti padhao," he said.

"Why isn't the Prime Minister concerned about this woman? He is so concerned about triple talaq...," Owaisi said.

The BJP government in UP headed by Yogi Adityanath had talked about 'anti-Romeo squads' and where has it all gone, he asked.

Owaisi, an ally of ruling TRS in Telangana, complimented the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his efforts to forge a federal front.

Asked if it was justified to call the prime minister names in the context of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's comments, he claimed Modi called everyone names.

"Wherever he (Modi) goes, he calls names.. he goes to Bengal, he says something.He goes to Odisha, he says something..He goes to Tamil Nadu, he has to say something...," Owaisi said.

The Prime Minister should be open to political criticism but none should cross the model code of conduct language barrier, he said.

Aiyar was back in the news with an article justifying his "neech" jibe against Narendra Modi, and also calling him the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen.

The BJP retorted calling him "abuser-in-chief" and described his party as arrogant.

Owaisi claimed that BJP was going to lose in the Lok Sabha elections and regional parties would play an important role.