Don't know why we were not invited for Oppn's Patna meet, says AIMIM chief; slams PM over 'no discrimination against minorities' remark

Asaduddin Owaisi, PTI Photo

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said he did not know why his outfit was not called for the meeting of opposition parties that was held in Patna in Bihar on June 23.

Owaisi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for stating during his visit to the United States of America that minorities were not being discriminated against in India under his government.

His colleague and Aurangabad Lok Sabha MP Imitiaz Jaleel said the AIMIM was more keen to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party than all the parties which attended the meeting.

Jaleel said no alliance of such groups can succeed against the BJP if it does not include his party.

"The AIMIM is more keen to defeat the BJP than the parties, leaders and those who gathered to form an (anti-BJP) alliance (on June 23). Why are we ignored when it is known that a big chunk of people follow Asaduddin Owaisi in many states," Jaleel questioned.

Speaking on the occasion, Owaisi said, "I don't know why we were not called. The issue raised by Jaleel is serious. My question is should someone thirsty come to the water source or should water go to the thirsty?"

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He said Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis and other groups were being discriminated against under the BJP-led government at the Centre and these things would have to be kept in mind while forming an agenda to defeat the Narendra Modi dispensation.

Expressing concern over the law and order situation in Maharashtra, the Telangana MP said the bureaucracy and administration must ensure law and order is not disturbed, adding that "political parties will come and go in power but law and order should remain".

Attacking the PM for his statement that there was no discrimination against minorities, Owaisi claimed 300 churches were burnt in the ongoing violence in Manipur.

He cited the Citizenship Amendment Act, the stopping of the Maulana Azad scholarship and alleged violence by cow vigilantes as examples of discrimination and harassment of minorities under Modi rule.

"The biggest discrimination is that the BJP has 300 Lok Sabha MPs but none of them is Muslim. There is no Muslim minister in the Union government either," the AIMIM chief said.

He also said the arrangement for Haj pilgrims was very poor this year despite they having to pay more and a probe must be instituted into why this was the case.

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