Razakars went to Pakistan, Wafadars stayed in India: Owaisi

Hyderabad: AIMIM leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday said it is a matter of happiness and great pride that Hyderabad became a part of India in 1948. "We do not need a loyalty certificate from the RSS and BJP, both were not there in the 1857 freedom struggle and at the time of the annexation of Hyderabad in India," he said.

Mr. Owaisi was addressing a massive gathering in Tegalkunta Janahnuma after a huge Tiranga Rally. He once again reiterated that Razakars went to Pakistan and Wafadars (loyalists) have been in India and are striving hard to get their democratic rights. "I am not an inheritor of Qasim Razvi, this is Abdul Wahid Owaisi's party which has always had an unwavering belief in the Constitution of India," he added.

Recalling the Nizam's contribution, Mr. Owaisi said he had donated money to many temples, including the Madan Mohan Malviya's Banares Hindu University. "We all, including state BJP leaders, drank Gandipet's water, and many of them went to Osmania Hospital for treatment. Both were constructed by the Nizam Osman Ali Khan," he said. Nizam gave money to translate the Mahabharat and for the Ajanta Ellora caves. He was the first in the world who commissioned the editing of the Quran's first English translation, Mr. Owaisi said. "There were other princely states in India. Did anyone do such welfare work? Is it not a fact that the king of Gwalior had rebelled against Jhansi's queen?" he questioned.

He continued, "I am neither appreciating nor praising the Nizam. It is a historical fact, and history cannot be changed by you or me. I know PM Modi does not like the Mughals but he unfurls the flag at the Red Fort. They do not like Mughals but they like Taj Mahal," the MIM chief said.

While pointing out Mahatma Gandhi's essay, he said that Muslims were massacred in Jammu also and none other than Gandhi held responsible Raja Hari Singh for this massacre. Why does the BJP not talk about it? he asked.

'Not good to reopen old wounds'

Quoting Pandit Sunderlal's report, Mr. Owaisi said the commission appointed by Pandit Nehru revealed that 40,000 people died in Police Action. "We are admitting that both Hindus and Muslims had to suffer during Operation Polo and before the annexation of Hyderabad, but it is not good to do politics and reopen old wounds," he added.

The MIM leader said Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan made many mistakes, and there were many people responsible for the Police Action, including Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who advised the envoy of Nizam. Expressing gratitude to Telangana CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao for accepting his demand and naming Telangana Secretariat after Dr. BR Ambdekar, Mr. Owaisi asked PM Modi to name the new Parliament building after Ambedkar.

Earlier, after performing the Friday prayers at Masjid Abubakar Bahadurpura, Mr. Owaisi, along with his party workers and thousands of people with Tricolour in their hands, reached Tegalkunta Jahanuma. Although the MIM had announced to take out a motorcycle rally, the crowd was so large that the streets of the Old City became quite narrow for them. Many people in the Old City displayed exemplary and extraordinary shows of patriotism during the rally.