Owaisi hits backs at Baba Ramdev

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Saturday took exception to Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's comments that Lord Ram was the ancestor not only of Hindus, but also of Muslims.

"We are not against anyone's belief. But, it is wrong to thrust your belief on others. Such things are said every time by the Sangh Parivar and RSS. We just want to say that we, Muslims in India, we have become Muslims on our own...," he told reporters here.

Nobody forced their ancestors to embrace Islam, the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said.

Asserting that the issue of construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was linked to the nation's pride, Yoga guru Ramdev had claimed on Friday that Lord Ram was the ancestor not only of Hindus, but also of Muslims.

"By saying this...what message you would like to give. Is the Constitution of India big or your thinking is big. Constitution gives us permission to follow the religion which we would like to follow," Owaisi, the Hyderabad MP, said.

"Showing someone in poor light... why are you doing this," he said.

Asked about criticism against his remarks in Parliament on Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, he asked what was wrong in it.

"I would like to ask what is wrong in it. You say, how many Adivasis have been given? Dalits, Scheduled Castes.

Prime Minister himself said in Lok Sabha that in the time when UPA government was there, he (PM) presented statistics and said NPAs increased so much, loan was given this much and who was Finance Minister then and you gave the Bharat Ratna to him," Owaisi said.

Owaisi had earlier reportedly said "Bharat Ratna has become an exclusive club of the Brahmins and the upper castes."