Are You Not Alienating Muslims: Owaisi To Secular Parties

New Delhi: All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the secular parties on their attitude on neglecting the Muslims in the election campaigns but want their votes.

He spoke in response to the lack of any mention of the Muslims in the speeches or campaigns during the elections from the secular parties such as the Congress and several non-BJP parties.

When it came to Muslims, the political parties 'go dumb' but claim to talk about all communities, said the AIMIM leader and even called out the approach of the so-called secular leaders, who largely avoid Muslims during their poll campaigns. In context with Congress president Rahul Gandhi refraining from talking about Muslims and their causes in this election season, Owaisi was quoted saying to The Print, “It’s sending a very wrong message. Are you (secular parties) not alienating Muslims? Say openly that politics of Hindu vote-bank will prevail. For how long will they be silent? Won’t it lead to their marginalization and ghettoization?”

He also questioned, “If you want Muslim vote, why are you shying away like a new bride?”.

He further pointed out the drastic contrast of the response from the leaders towards another minority community. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with several other political leaders lashed out at Sam Pitroda over the controversial remarks made in regard to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Stating that the outrage sparked for the Sikhs but none for mob-lynching, systematic marginalization of Muslims, the AIMIM leader said that it's an 'insult' to the Muslims that political parties want their votes but don't address them in their campaign.

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