EC takes care of electoral rolls, not me, says Owaisi on bogus votes allegation

Hyderabad: Rejecting BJP Hyderabad Lok Sabha candidate K Madhavi Latha's allegation of about six lakh bogus votes in the constituency, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said the Election Commission takes care of the issue of voters' lists.

Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad constituency, wondered what his role was in the matter.

The AIMIM leader said the process of addition of names and publication of the final voters' list is carried out every year by the Election Commission which he does not head.

He was responding to a query from reporters about Madhavi Latha's charge that Owaisi wins with the help of the six lakh bogus votes

The allegation amounts to "abusing" the Election Commission, he added.

"By speaking like this, you are insulting the Hyderabad electorate, which includes brothers from backward class and Dalits, minority Muslims, Christians who are going out to vote. Because of their votes, every party is getting votes and AIMIM is successful," he told reporters.

Asked about the reported comments of a Congress leader in Hyderabad that he has to be friends with the AIMIM, Owaisi said his party does not have any alliance with any party in Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections.

His party has formed PDM in Uttar Pradesh and his colleague MP in Maharashtra Imtiaz Jaleel is holding talks on the issue in the western state.

To a query on the Centre's advisory to Indians not to travel to Iran or Israel till further notice, Owaisi pointed out that the union government had signed an agreement with Israel as per which 6,000 Indian workers had gone to that country.

"After sending 6,000 Indian citizens into the jaws of death, you issue an advisory. What type of humanity is this by the Narendra Modi government?" he asked.

He demanded that the government immediately call back those 6,000 Indian citizens.

Lashing out at the Israeli government, Owaisi said it was committing a "genocide" against Palestinians.

Asked about the BJP candidate's alleged comments about his attire, he claimed that there is hate against his food, beard, 'hijab' and existence. "But, the people of Hyderabad would not make hate successful. (They will) make love successful." Responding to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported comments that China has not occupied any Indian land, he said on X social media platform that SP of Leh had earlier stated that our soldiers are unable to go to 26 of the 65 patrolling points in Ladakh.

"The minister is playing with words to mislead the people. The Leh SP report clearly said that our soldiers are unable to go to 26 of the 65 patrolling points in Ladakh. Is that not denial of Indian control of territory by the Chinese?" Owaisi said.

Owaisi launched his campaign on Friday and undertook door-to-door canvassing in the Bahadurpur assembly segment.

Inputs from PTI