Who is secular now? The word ‘secular’ becomes a stick to beat MIM
By Abdul hafiz lakhani New Delhi/Ahmedabad
Close on the heels of Supreme Court verdict giving the title of the disputed land for the construction of a temple — and ordering that Muslims be given five acres elsewhere in lieu of the demolished Babri Masjid and following decision to file a review petition by AIMPLB, All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi clearly stated that SC verdict brings the country further on the path of Hindu Rashtra . Elaborating this he further added that If not so, then what are the NRC and the Citizenship Amendment Bill? They say that refugees will be given citizenship based on the indigenous religion. They are the agenda of an aggressive Hindutva ideology.
In interview, he had very clear views about Muslim leadership in India. Owasi said that Muslims required political empowerment, not leadership. Political empowerment will come from political representation and how does political representation come? It comes from independent political leadership. When a community or caste has proportional political representation then it will get a rightful share in employment and education. Discrimination to a certain extent will be controlled. Muslims lack political empowerment. They are just used for votes.
In a question why Since Independence, Indian Muslims have not had a national leader. Why did this happen?, Sr. Owisi that Muslims of India always accepted the leadership of various political parties. They posed faith on Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, N.T. Rama Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Mayawati and others. They reposed their confidence in them, but what did they get in return? Social-economic indicators and empirical evidence show that the parties only took our votes. In the regime of Indira Gandhi massive communal riots occurred. Rajiv Gandhi unlocked Babri Masjid. Major riots took place in the Mumbai during 1992-93 after the demolition of Babri Masjid.
On his observation that India is well on the way to be a Hindu Rashtra after this SC verdict,he said that even so called secular parties kept mum on this verdict. Already the VHP has said that Ayodhya jahnki hai. The 1991 Act says that the status of religious structures on August 15, 1947, will remain, but no one stops them.
About the role of secular parties of India, he lambasted Congress and alleged that this grand old party has moved to real Hindutva from soft Hindutva. Secular parties are keeping mum It is the same Congress when P.V. Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister that the Masjid was demolished. He had promised it would be reconstructed at the same place. Now the party has taken a different stand. Congress is not playing soft Hindutva, but real Hindutva. Now the Congress is ready to enter into an alliance with the Shiv Sena In Maharashtra. Now the Congress and NCP may enter into an alliance with Shiva Sena. The only party that remains secular is mine. Who is secular now? The word ‘secular’ becomes a stick to beat MIM.
About Partition, he said that Indian Muslims had rejected the Jinnah’s ideology and it was a right decision. Organisations and political parties who want to convert India into a Hindu theocratic country, that will be a great disservice to all freedom fighters or Constitution-makers like B.R. Ambedkar, who wanted India to be a pluralistic country, where its diversity would be celebrated, where people believe in Indian nationalism, not in one religion or Hindu nationalism. They promoted Indian nationalism. Now these people speak about Hindutva nationalism.( Courtesy. DC, HYD)
I
