‘Rahul Gandhi suffers from political amnesia’: Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi at a press convention in Hyderabad on November 03.
| Picture Credit score: NAGARA GOPAL / The Hindu

Within the lead-up to the Telangana Meeting election, a confrontation has been raging between Congress leaders and Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Owaisi has accused Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy of being an “RSS man”, whereas Reddy has labelled Owaisi’s organisation the BJP’s “B-Staff”.

The AIMIM has seven MLAs within the 119-seat Telangana Meeting. It has fielded candidates in 9 constituencies within the upcoming election. Regardless of not being in a proper coalition, the AIMIM continues to assist the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS, previously TRS). In an unique interview with Frontline, Owaisi mentioned his causes for backing the BRS, minority welfare improvement, the AIMIM’s work within the previous metropolis, and its priorities. Excerpts:

The AIMIM continues to assist the ruling BRS, which fought for a separate Telangana State. You had been initially against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, arguing that smaller States would supply fertile floor for the BJP. Has your stance advanced?

The specter of communalism and fascism nonetheless looms over us. It stays a menace as a result of the BJP is in energy, and so they have received the [Lok Sabha] election twice. In Telangana, Chief Minister Ok. Chandrashekar Rao has performed a major position in retaining the State peaceable over the previous 9 and a half years. As a regional participant emerged within the type of the BRS [then TRS], we’ve got been in a position to management it [communalism]. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless there and isn’t restricted to the BJP. Additionally it is prevalent within the Congress. Our view on smaller States stays the identical.

You advocate for secularism and oppose communalism. Nevertheless, the AIMIM has been accused of being the opposite facet of the BJP and even the BJP’s “B-Staff” [by the Congress].

The Congress is in an open alliance with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena [in Maharashtra]. It has conveniently forgotten the Shiv Sena’s position within the pre-and post-Babri Masjid demolition and the communal riots. The Srikrishna Fee report documented [Shiv Sena founder] Bal Thackeray’s position [in these events]. But, we change into communal as a result of we oppose the Congress. That’s the reason I say Rahul Gandhi suffers from political amnesia. I believe he believes within the principle of [former US President] George Bush, that “both you might be with us or towards us”. It speaks volumes of their political conceitedness and politics of entitlement.

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What elements have contributed to the notion of relative peace in Telangana over the previous nine-and-a-half years?

Firstly, a regional get together holds energy in Telangana, with objectives and aims that differ from these of the 2 nationwide events. At any time when both of the nationwide events, even when not in energy, beneficial properties political affect, the demon of communalism turns into stronger.

Secondly, the individuals of Telangana have proven a whole lot of maturity in sustaining peace and concord. Thirdly, the AIMIM deserves some credit score for guaranteeing that fascist forces don’t discover a possibility to additional their communal designs. To corroborate what I’m saying, when the Milad rally and Ganesh Chaturthi coincided on the identical day [in October], Muslims voluntarily postponed their rally till two days after Ganesh Chaturthi. This despatched a strong message of unity and respect.

Fourthly, the administration, together with the police division, has performed an important position in successfully sustaining legislation and order. Total, apart from the 2 days of curfew in Bhainsa and the curfew imposed through the COVID pandemic, Telangana has loved peace, progress, and prosperity.

You might have praised the Telangana mannequin of improvement. How has it helped change the lives of unusual Muslims in Telangana over the previous nine-and-a-half years?

I’ve had the chance to journey to a number of elements of India in reference to the AIMIM’s enlargement. In States the place the BJP is in energy or is politically highly effective, the sensation of uncertainty amongst Muslims is prevalent. This isn’t the scenario in Telangana. Folks maintain robust political beliefs right here. There isn’t a menace to companies right here as no communal riots have occurred. Muslim girls and ladies go about their day fearlessly. Hijab, halal, and so forth should not seen as a menace. Muslim youth should not being harassed within the identify of legal guidelines or accused of anti-national exercise or extremism.

“In States the place the BJP is in energy or is politically highly effective, the sensation of uncertainty amongst Muslims is prevalent. This isn’t the scenario in Telangana.”Asaduddin OwaisiAIMIM get together president

There may be additionally a rising concern about elevated profiling of Muslims, notably within the context of the Chabutra Mission [of Telangana police, aiming to curb late-night loitering and public nuisance] and cordon-and-search operations. These actions have raised considerations about civil liberties. Does this profiling characterize a priority in your get together, and has it raised this problem with the BRS?

There may be divided opinion about it among the many individuals. Some localities would really like it to proceed, and others name it an invasion of privateness. Wherever most individuals in a locality say they don’t need it, we inform the police division to not do it. On different events, individuals have requested for it to make sure that untoward incidents don’t happen. There have been many situations the place we agreed that police shouldn’t intervene in what individuals do. Sadly, we had been confirmed unsuitable. It’s best to take it up based mostly on what the individuals of a locality need.

Why has the AIMIM not expanded its electoral attain past Hyderabad to different constituencies with a sizeable Muslim inhabitants? There are round 45 such constituencies.

One view throughout the get together was that we should always increase and contest just a few extra seats. However a consensus advanced for less than two further seats: Rajendra Nagar and Jubilee Hills. We consider a 3rd political participant [BRS] may be very a lot required. Therefore, it was determined that the BJP and the Congress must be defeated. In any other case, the politics of the Nineties will come again, which we don’t wish to occur.

It’s pure for senior leaders to have the political ambition to contest elections and change into MLAs. It was a troublesome resolution personally for me to persuade them. However this was our resolution, and, hopefully, we can contest extra seats sooner or later.

What are the prospects for elevated illustration of Muslim girls in Indian politics? When would possibly we see a feminine MLA candidate from the AIMIM get together?

Throughout the debate on the Ladies’s Reservation Invoice in Parliament , we had requested for a quota for Muslim and OBC girls. Let me remind you that the AIMIM fielded the late Humera Aziz from Secunderabad within the 2004 common election. We’ve got a whole lot of girls corporators and ex-corporators who’re able to take up larger duties. The following step could be to have them contest the Meeting election and get them elected. Hopefully, we can try this within the coming years.

The BRS authorities has spent practically Rs.12,000 crore for minority welfare and improvement since 2014. How do you assess the effectiveness of this funding?

I’ll share the proportion of Muslim beneficiaries of the assorted schemes. Their share within the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes was 21.23 per cent; minorities acquired practically 47.26 per cent of the abroad scholarships; over 21 per cent of scholars enrolled in residential faculties are Muslims; Aasara pensions (for susceptible sections of society) are a bit decrease (11.20 per cent); and the share of BPL playing cards is 13.88 per cent. The entire finances spent on SC, ST, BC, and Minority Welfare was Rs.91,000 crore (since 2014). Of this, 13.18 per cent was the share of minorities. It exhibits that the schemes are reaching the minority inhabitants. Minorities in Telangana have realised that they will obtain this due to the political steadiness of energy.

The factor that takes the group down is the dearth of training of their children. In response to the Kundu Committee report, the first motive for Muslim scholar dropouts is that the group doesn’t have monetary wherewithal. No State dominated by the so-called secular events is spending Rs.630 crore on Muslim training. This isn’t the case in Rajasthan, which has the same share of Muslim inhabitants, however the finances was Rs.290 crore. Additionally, why did the Congress launch a minority declaration for Telangana however not for Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, or Madhya Pradesh? It’s as a result of you have got a robust political voice within the type of the AIMIM.

There are considerations relating to the underutilisation and uncertainty surrounding fund allocation for minority welfare initiatives. Some quarters have expressed the necessity for a devoted sub-plan for minorities.

We’re additionally frightened concerning the launch of funds. You might be required to launch funds each quarter to realize the specified outcome. That may be a bit missing. I settle for that extra must be performed to enhance that. We’ve got additionally been constantly demanding {that a} sub-plan must be there (to handle the difficulty).

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There may be an allegation that the AIMIM shouldn’t be growing the previous metropolis.

Please file an RTI and show us unsuitable. Three years in the past, we had a deluge in Hyderabad. Intensive nala widening work was undertaken in my parliamentary constituency. The Balkapur Nala diversion is ongoing at Rethibowli. We’ve got 82 Basti Dawakhanas [hyperlocal health facilities]. Present me different parliamentary constituencies with comparable works.

I bought flak for my stand on Osmania Normal Hospital, with some saying I’m towards heritage. Nevertheless, I’m able to assist the federal government’s resolution; whether or not it needs to demolish or assemble a constructing, or maintain it intact and construct. Many poor individuals will profit from enhancing the hospital. We are going to proceed our work. That’s the reason we win elections.

What are the AIMIM’s priorities for the subsequent 5 years?

A highway must be constructed from Bapughat to Moosrarambagh alongside the Musi river due to the growing visitors. One other precedence is expediting Metro works and the IT tower undertaking in Malakpet. Publish-COVID, RTC buses aren’t plying to a number of localities, which is an issue for poor individuals. We are going to look into it. We additionally wish to be sure that there are extra 2BHK (double-bedroom flats for low-income households as a part of Telangana’s social housing undertaking) wherever authorities land is out there. I apologise to the individuals of Bojagutta (the place the 2BHK undertaking is pending) who’re dwelling in squalid circumstances. We are going to take it up. There are numerous extra issues we’ve got to work for constantly.