Hindutva stance, anti-Muslim rhetoric helping BJP to win polls: Asaduddin Owaisi
New Delhi, July 2: Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of the Parliament, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, asserting that the party's electoral success came largely due to its Hindutva stance and anti-Muslim rhetoric.
"I would like to tell the opposition parties that it is not your victory, but a victory of majoritarianism. Everyone should contemplate and do introspection. Why is it that the OBCs and the upper castes are getting more representation while Muslims are getting ignored? Are we only here to vote for you and not to get elected," Owaisi asked.
He also lamented the underrepresentation of Muslims in the Parliament, emphasising that despite a significant Muslim population in the country, only 4 per cent of Muslim representatives win seats in the House.
"This discrepancy undermines the inclusive vision of India's founding fathers, who saw the Constitution as a book of dreams for all communities," Owaisi said.
Reflecting on the formation of the Constitution, Owaisi said, "When the Constitution of India was being formed, and ideas of a separate voter list and Intikhabi reservations were mooted, our founding fathers, both Hindus and Muslims, deliberated on this issue and decided that they would not agree with it. They said the majority community must see to it that the minorities are elected in representative numbers."
Owaisi also urged those who profess love for the Constitution to revisit the thoughts of leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, S.C. Mukherjee, and Sadar Hukam Singh regarding minority rights during constitutional debates.
The AIMIM MP from Hyderabad expressed concern for the marginalised groups, saying, "Today, I am talking about those who are seen, but no one talks about them, those whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi labelled as intruders, those women who have 'many children', those youth who become prey to mob lynching, those parents whose kids are rotting in jail because of the wrong laws."
He also questioned the future of India under the BJP, claiming that the party's agenda marginalises Muslims, relegating their role to mere voters rather than elected representatives.
He pointed out that while OBC MPs have gained representation equivalent to the upper caste MPs, Muslims have been significantly underrepresented.
Highlighting instances of mob lynching and demolition of Muslim properties, Owaisi attacked the opposition parties and warned that even mentioning the term Muslim might soon be prohibited.
Owaisi also spoke on unemployment, accusing the NDA government of ruining the lives of job aspirants through repeated exam paper leaks.
He criticised the government for encouraging Indian youth to seek employment abroad under dangerous conditions and for supplying weapons to Israel, which he claimed tarnished India's image given the significant Indian workforce in the Gulf countries.
"Twenty-seven tonnes of weapons are being supplied to Israelis when over nine million Indians are working in the Gulf countries. What impression would it make? Around 47,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel," Owaisi said, as he questioned India's policy of supplying weapons to Israel.