Hyderabad: “May I give them some knowledge, some gyan because they are ignorant… I am to remind them that the Supreme Court judgment on privacy, the supreme court judgment on (Article) 377 clearly lays down that choice. For Shiv Sena’s ignorant people, I am spelling that out for them, choice, is now fundamental right,” remarked AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slamming the Shiv Sena for allegedly seeking a burqa ban.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief’s outburst comes a day after an article in Sena’s paper ‘Saamna’ urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban burqa just like Sri Lanka had following the Easter Sunday blasts. “Ravan’s Lanka, then why not in Ram’s Ayodhya,” said the article.
Owaisi claimed that the article created divisions in society and was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct, and he urged the Election Commission to take immediate note of it. He said as per the Indian Constitution one can choose and do whatever they like.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “That is your autonomy. Unfortunately and deliberately, for all these Hindutva ignorant people, when you talk about constitution, they go completely mad about it. Because, they don’t understand the pluralism of our country…. In our country, ladies wear ghunghat. Would you remove that also. You understand India first. India is a plural country. You cannot impose your Hindutva on all.”
He claimed that the Sena was frustrated as they were going to lose a huge number of seats in the coming elections and that was why they were indulging in dog-vigil politics.
“They (Shiv Sena) talked so brave and bold that they will not go with Modi, but they did a trapeze act,” said Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad in the Lok Sabha polls.
He further claimed that the country’s atmosphere in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections was completely against the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He maintained it was a violation of model code of conduct when Modi talked about aastha (faith, belief) during an election speech. Modi should have said that as a Prime Minister he will protect constitutional morality.