Deputy CM in contempt of court, Owaisi says

Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out on Monday at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya for his statement over the controversial Ayodhya issue.

A day earlier, Maurya had said the central government had the option of passing a law in Parliament to start the construction of the Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid stood.

But on Monday Owaisi, who is also president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), questioned how a responsible deputy chief minister can make such ‘atrocious and obnoxious statement’.

“This clearly shows the increasing frustration of the RSS and BJP. They are raising the issue of Ayodhya as they have failed to fulfil all their promises. They should know that as long as the Supreme Court does not decide the case, you cannot do anything constitutionally”.

Talking to the media in Hyderabad, Owaisi described the statement as an attempt to divert attention from the real issues.

‘Diverting attention’

He asked whether the UP deputy chief minister was threatening somebody by saying if the court judgement does not come in their favour the central government will still push ahead with the construction.

“This is nothing but contempt of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Owaisi questioned under what provision of the Constitution the central government would take up the construction of the temple.

“He has no right to talk in this language,” he said.

“Every other day, a Sangh Parivar and BJP leader makes such a statement to divert attention so the people of India do not ask them pertinent questions about jobs, inflation, rising prices, about what is happening in Kashmir, about the government not rising to the occasion to provide immediate relief to Kerala,” he said.