Scrap AIMIM party or merge with Congress: TPCC secretary to Owaisi

Hyderabad: In a surprising turn of events, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi broke his silence after nine years to criticise the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the Karnataka election results. Mohd. Saleem, the secretary of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), said Mr. Owaisi’s decision to speak out was not prompted by his party or personal motivations but rather a response to the sentiments of the Muslim community.

“The people of Karnataka, particularly the Muslims, have rejected Owaisi and his party’s participation in the state elections alongside the BJP. The JDS and BRS, who formed an alliance hoping to play a kingmaker’s role, were also dismissed by the electorate,” said Mohd. Saleem.

He further emphasised that this rejection was not an isolated incident as similar outcomes were witnessed in West Bengal, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other states where Mr. Owaisi’s party contested the elections. “While it is not wrong to aspire for the growth of their party, it is crucial that their intentions are fair and clean, aimed at supporting the minorities of the country,” said Mr. Saleem.

According to the TPCC secretary, Mr. Owaisi’s party entered into electoral contests with the false intention to support BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “They are well aware that they may not win elections outright, but they are confident in playing a disruptive role to benefit the BJP, thereby safeguarding their personal and political interests,” he added.

He called upon the Owaisi brothers to reflect upon their actions and cease their support for the BJP and RSS, both of which are perceived as being against the interests of Muslims in India. Mohd. Saleem further urged them to refrain from contesting elections in other states. He pointed out that in their six decades of existence, the party has failed to secure more than eight seats in Telangana, with a majority of their victories confined to the Old City area of Hyderabad.

Furthermore, Mr. Saleem highlighted a series of issues where Mr. Owaisi and the MIM remained silent, despite their alliance with the BRS:

· They did not demand the implementation of 12% reservation for minorities.

· They remained silent on the Alair encounter, where the police shot handcuffed miscreants.

· They did not advocate for the protection of Wakf properties, many of which were encroached upon by ruling party leaders and land sharks. Lakes and ponds were also encroached upon by the BRS, MIM, and BJP.

· They did not demand the introduction of Minority Bandhu schemes for minorities.

· They failed to speak out against the demolition of the Secretariat mosque and other mosques by the state government.

· They did not raise their voices when structures from the Asaf Jahi period were demolished, indicating a plot to erase Muslim names from historical sites such as the Secretariat, Osmania General Hospital, Erram Manzil, and the TB Hospital.

· Similarly, they remained silent when GO.111 was scrapped, an attempt to erase the names of Osamsagar and Himayat Sagar, with the intention of converting them into sewerage ponds. This move was viewed as an effort by the chief minister to protect his family’s land surrounding the two lakes.

· The MIM also remained silent on national issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Triple Talaq, Article 370, attacks on mosques and Muslims, the Babri Masjid issue, mob-lynching incidents, and the withdrawal of Haj subsidies. They only issued press statements, without organising public meetings, protests, or demonstrations in Hyderabad or any other part of India.

Mohd. Saleem added, “My sincere advice to the MIM president to scrap the MIM party or merge with any national party or to join the Congress Party, which is the only national and secular party in India, if he is sincere for the welfare of Muslims and minorities instead of directly or indirectly supporting BJP and RSS.”