NEW DELHI: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday in a fiery parliamentary speech, condemned the alleged misuse of religious history to fuel disputes. Owaisi addressed the challenges faced by marginalised communities, particularly Muslims, and criticised attempts to undermine Constitutional rights.
“If I dig here in Parliament and find something, will that mean the Parliament is mine?” the AIMIM MP questioned
“Many states have enacted laws. You cannot eat this or you cannot eat that. They created cow slaughter bans, and you tell me, in Haryana and Rajasthan, police gave powers to cow vigilantes and they misused it for lynching. One boy, Sabir Malik from Bengal, was beaten to death in the market,” he said.
Speaking in Parliament, Owaisi raised concerns over alleged targeting of minorities. Referring to Articles 25, 26, 29, and 30 of the Indian Constitution, he argued that fundamental rights guaranteeing religious freedom and protection of cultural identity were being eroded. “Today, my daughters are being stopped from wearing the hijab in government educational institutions. So, where is the success of Article 25?” he questioned.
Citing instances of cow vigilante violence and the lynching of minorities, Owaisi cited cases of the burning alive of Juned and Naseer. “This is a direct assault on the right to life and religious freedom,” he said, adding that laws were being manipulated to create divisions. “Many states have enacted laws banning what we can eat, while vigilantes misuse powers given to them.”
Owaisi’s comments came after a rise in communal tensions in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal where a mosque survey led to clashes and fatalities. Owaisi criticised such actions, saying they distract the nation from real issues and incite tensions.
The AIMIM leader has consistently opposed the central government’s stance on religious disputes. In an earlier statement, he accused the ruling party of having an “invisible hand” in fuelling petitions targeting religious sites, undermining the Places of Worship Act, 1991. “No nation can become a superpower if 14 per cent of its population faces constant pressures,” he said.
Owaisi also commended the Supreme Court’s recent decision restraining lower courts from passing orders on religious site surveys, which he called a step towards preventing instability. He stressed that the government has a responsibility to uphold the law and protect minorities from what he described as politically motivated campaigns.