Govt requests Owaisi to accept Z security cover

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday requested AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi to accept Z category protection, offered by the government after a recent attack on his car, saying he still faces security threat.

Making a statement in Rajya Sabha, Shah said the Hyderabad MP has refused to take the CRPF protection.

The minister said that Owaisi had been offered security in the past too and a government assessment has found that he still faces security threat.

"We have reassessed the security of Owaisi. We have provided him in Delhi a bullet-proof car under all India level Z category security of Central Reserve Police Force on the basis of assessment," he said.

"As per the verbal information sent by Owaisi to us, he has refused to take security. I request Shri Owaisi through this House to take the security immediately and address our concern [about his safety]," Shah said in the Upper House.

Meanwhile, former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat seeks blessings from a ‘Naga sadhu', in Nainital on Monday. Pic/ANI

He also told the House that the Ministry of Home Affairs has received a report from the state government on the attack.

"The central government has issued directions to provide security to Owaisi many times earlier also. Telangana Police and Delhi Police remained unsuccessful in providing security to Owaisi due to his unwillingness for that," the minister said.

Shots were fired at the car of the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), on February 3, 2022 in Uttar Pradesh following which two persons were arrested.

Muslims not untouchable: key partner's jibes at BJP

Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (S) Pic/@AnupriyasPatel

Stressing that the Apna Dal (S) stands for social justice, Union minister Anupriya Patel on Monday dissociated her party from "Hindutva and all those issues" and said it is ideologically different from the BJP.

Muslim candidates are not untouchable for her party, the Apna Dal (S) chief said three days ahead of the first round of the Uttar Pradesh polls starting on February 10.

"Yes we are ideologically different from the BJP. People are trying to ask me questions on Hindutva and all those issues, I dissociate myself from all those issues and my party doesn't do religious politics. We stand for social justice. That's our ideology," said Patel. She said her party has always worked for the marginalised sections of society.

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