Owaisi criticises Didi for singling out MIM
Questions permission for other Oppn parties
All India Majlis-eIttehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the Mamata Banerjee administration in West Bengal for refusing them permission to hold an election rally in Kolkata. Owaisi questioned the logic when the same was given to BJP, TMC and Left parties.
Interacting with the media here on Thursday, Owaisi said TMC MPs speak about freedom of expression, Constitution and dissent in the Parliament, but contradict themselves when it comes to their state.
“The secular and liberal people who clap when they listen to the speeches of TMC MPs will have to ponder. This clearly exposes TMC doublespeak and hypocrisy,” he added.
“The BJP won 18 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. How can we be responsible for BJP’s win when we did not
contest from there? The larger question is on what grounds are they stopping my party from contesting in West Bengal. We will speak against TMC, Congress, BJP and others. These parties do not understand that there is a desire in Muslim youth that we are politically relevant and have a
political leadership that will strengthen democracy,” he said.
“If the police administration refuses to permit us even before enforcement of the Mode Code of Conduct, how can the elections be free and fair? Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda can hold a rally and
Congress, CPM, TMC are also allowed. Why single us out?” Owaisi asked. Owaisi said once the code of conduct comes into force, “We will be compelled to approach the Election Commission, against the continuation of the police officers who rejected permission for rallies in the same post”.
On the possible alliance with Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui, who had recently floated Indian Secular Front (ISF), he said they were in discussions with them. He clarified that his party has already handed over him a list of constituencies that it aims to contest and the cleric had clarified his stand about MIM.
On the party’s plan for Gujarat, Owaisi said “one of our primary objectives is to fill the political vacuum there. In Gujarat, our party will work with Chhotubhai Vasava’s Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) and even contest Assembly elections.”