AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Tuesday accused the political parties in Maharashtra of having no ideology left in them, and said he was being labelled as communal by those who indulge in divisive politics. He also asserted that the country belongs equally to all communities - those wearing turbans and skullcaps and those who sport a tilak on their foreheads. Owaisi, who is All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)'s MLA from Telangana, was speaking at a public rally at the Amkhas Maidan here to campaign for his party candidates Imtiaz Jaleel, contesting the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls from Aurangabad East, and Naser Siddiqui from Aurangabad Central.
"Our party (AIMIM) raises the voice of Muslim, Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Marathas. I don't give provocative speeches. Those who talk about 'batoge to katoge' (divided we lose) call me communal," he said. "Mob lynching, 'ghar wapsi', discourse on cap and beard and differentiating between Hindus and Muslims - don't such things make the country weak?," he asked, and said this country belongs equally to those who wear turbans, apply tilak on their forehead and those who wear (skull) caps on their head.
Owaisi, whose party is headquartered in Hyderabad, also hit out at the prominent political parties in Maharashtra.
"There were four key political parties in 2019. But now there are two Shiv Senas and two NCPs. These parties joined hands with those having different ideologies. But did the Congress teach secularism to its alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT) or did the latter teach Hindutva to the Congress. There is no party left with any ideology in Maharashtra," he said. He urged Maratha, Muslim and Dalit communities to unite for the development of the Marathwada region.
"Those leading the Maratha quota agitation should also see that not only their community but the Marathwada region is also backward. We should work together for its development," he said. Speaking on the occasion, Jaleel said, "I am contesting the election from a constituency where the highest number of Muslim candidates are in the poll fray. The political rivals are coming together to defeat me...Even Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is visiting the constituency to campaign against me. I appeal to him to have 'naan qalia' (a local non-veg dish) in the city and leave."
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Owaisi, whose party is headquartered in Hyderabad, also hit out at the prominent political parties in Maharashtra.
"There were four key political parties in 2019. But now there are two Shiv Senas and two NCPs. These parties joined hands with those having different ideologies. But did the Congress teach secularism to its alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT) or did the latter teach Hindutva to the Congress. There is no party left with any ideology in Maharashtra," he said. He urged Maratha, Muslim and Dalit communities to unite for the development of the Marathwada region.
"Those leading the Maratha quota agitation should also see that not only their community but the Marathwada region is also backward. We should work together for its development," he said. Speaking on the occasion, Jaleel said, "I am contesting the election from a constituency where the highest number of Muslim candidates are in the poll fray. The political rivals are coming together to defeat me...Even Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is visiting the constituency to campaign against me. I appeal to him to have 'naan qalia' (a local non-veg dish) in the city and leave."
