'You do encounters in the name of religion': Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at BJP

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi. File Photo

The president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi hit at the BJP on Thursday over the issue of what he described as 'encounters'. Owaisi alleged that the BJP does "encounters in the name of religion." Owaisi was speaking at meeting in Telengana's Nizamabad.

The four-time MP, representing Hyderabad constituency in Lok sabha, asked whether "BJP will also shoot those who killed Junaid and Nasir?"

"Will the BJP also shoot those who killed Junaid and Nasir? No, because you (BJP) do counters in the name of religion. You want to weaken the rule of law, do encounter of the Constitution," news agency ANI quoted Owaisi as saying.

Owaisi's comment comes amid controversy over the killing of Asad, son of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, and Ghulam, in alleged encounter with UP STF in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on Thursday. Both Atiq and Ghulam were accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

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Umesh Pal and his police security guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead in February outside his home in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj. Another security personnel Raghvendra Singh, who was injured in the attack, was admitted to SRN Hospital in critical condition and was referred to Lucknow on Sunday.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station (in Prayagraj) against gangster-turned politiciam Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Gulam and nine others. Both Atiq and Ashraf were arrested by authorities in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath had vowed to destroy the mafias after the opposition Samajwadi Party had questioned the law and order situation in the state in the wake of the killing.