Asaduddin Owaisi slams Mohan Bhagwat over statement on lynching

Reacting sharply to Mohan Bhagwat's statement, Owaisi said Muslims, Dalits and even Hindus have been victims of incidents of mob lynching in the country

Jalna: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday hit out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat for his statement that mob lynching was a western concept and it should not be used to defame India. Addressing the Vijayadashmi function of the RSS at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Bhagwat said lynching is a "western construct" and should not be used in the Indian context to defame the country.

He said the word 'lynching' does not originate from Indian ethos but comes from a separate religious text. Reacting sharply to Bhagwat's statement, Owaisi said Muslims, Dalits and even Hindus have been victims of incidents of mob lynchingin the country. "Are these incidents not mob- lynching?" he asked. The Hyderabad MP said perpetrators of mob lynching were "sons" of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in New Delhi after assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he said they were also incidents of mob lynching.

Owaisi was speaking at an election rally in support of AIMIM candidate Iqbal Pasha at the Kalyanrao Ghugre Stadium here in central Maharashtra. Referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Owaisi said they were also examples of mob lynching and occurred when Narendra Modi was chief minister of the state. Owaisi also lashed out at Bhagwat's statement that the RSS is firm on its vision that "Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra". The AIMIM accused Bhagwat of having no faith in Indian democracy and ideals of chief Constitution-maker B R Ambedkar, who spoke about equality and justice.

Owaisi said the country is facing problems like farmer suicides, unemployment and price rise, but the BJP is busy raising emotional issues such as Article 370, Pakistan and Hindu-Muslims. The AIMIM dubbed the Congress as a "sinking ship" whose captain (Rahul Gandhi) has abandoned it. Owaisi said the Shiv Sena appears haplessbefore the BJP in the state, where elections will be held on October 21. On the issue of tree hacking in Aarey Colony in Mumbai, Owaisi referred to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's statement that action will be taken in the matter when the saffron alliance is voted back to power.

"Why did the Sena not take action when it is still in power," the Lok Sabha MP sought to know. He said the Congress and NCP are responsible for their downfall, which has resulted in the BJP coming to power.

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