AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi has spoken out on a range of issues including the “I Love Muhammad” row, the ban on Muslim participation at garba events, illegal immigration, his party’s talks with RJD for the Bihar elections, and the recent violence in Ladakh.
Bihar Elections And RJD Alliance
Owaisi confirmed that his party’s Bihar leadership has reached out to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for a possible alliance against BJP and JDU. He stated that a letter was sent by AIMIM’s Bihar president, Akhtarul Iman, to Lalu Prasad Yadav, offering to fight together in the larger interest of secularism.
The AIMIM has reportedly sought six seats in Bihar and demanded the creation of a Seemanchal Development Board if the alliance is successful. “Our doors are not closed, but we cannot keep waiting forever,” Owaisi said, while also challenging RJD to contest in Hyderabad.
On “I Love Muhammad” Controversy
Responding to the controversy around posters and placards reading “I Love Muhammad”, Owaisi said:
“If someone says ‘I love you’, what’s the problem? Similarly, ‘I Love Mahadev’ is also faith. Why should it be an issue?”
He criticized attempts to restrict Muslim participation in garba celebrations during Navratri, calling it a form of “social boycott.”
Illegal Immigration Debate
Countering BJP’s charge that RJD and Congress support infiltrators, Owaisi hit back by saying that the BJP has been in power for 11 years, and it is their responsibility to stop illegal immigration if it exists.
He also pointed out that Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina had lived in India during exile, questioning the government’s narrative on infiltrators. Owaisi linked the issue to the revision of voter rolls in Bihar, warning it could disenfranchise lakhs of people.
Owaisi On Ladakh Protests
Commenting on the recent violence in Ladakh after activist Sonam Wangchuk’s protest for statehood turned violent, Owaisi said, “This was bound to happen. People of Ladakh have been sidelined. The anger is not against Wangchuk but against the government’s approach.” He expressed solidarity with the people of Ladakh, saying they were treated unfairly after Article 370’s abrogation.
