Muslims to get alienated: MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad: Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said the victory of BJP in the elections will increase the alienation of the Muslim community. The BJP conducted its election campaign in an atmosphere of hatred, particularly towards Muslims, he said.

Mr Owaisi was addressing the media at his residence at Shastripuram. He said neither the employment issue, nor the human distress was discussed during the campaign. A BJP candidate who is an accused in a case of terrorism won an election. He said this victory will be a threat to the composite culture and diversity of India and “we will fight back rigorously to preserve it”.

Mr Owaisi, who won the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat for the fourth time, said, “Certainly, the outcome was not in line with our expectations, but it does not mean that we will discontinue our efforts to save democracy. We will fight back. We will raise difficult questions and try to expose the BJP.”

The MIM chief asked how many Muslim candidates won from the BJP. “Is it not true that an environment was created to widen the hate against Muslims?” He claimed that there was never a Muslim vote bank in our country but a Hindu vote bank existed and will continue. “To cater to the Hindu vote bank, the BJP  broadens the hate environment and we are witnessing the results and accepting it and explaining the consequences.”

Replying to a question about the failure of the concept of a post election third front, he said the idea has not completely vanished. BJP did not succeed in states where regional parties are strong. In Telangana state, the TRS has succeeded in stopping their progress. “We supported Telangana and will work with it.”

He said a front against the BJP will exist forever, which will work to safeguard the Constitution.

On EVMs, he said he had never complained about it. “Though EVMs are not rigged, the BJP rigged the minds of Hindus,” he said. He advocated counting of all VVPAT slips.