AIMIM chief backs quota for backward Muslims, repeal of ‘draconian’ laws
The party condemned the recent efforts by a few ‘self-proclaimed leaders’ to ‘legitimise Sangh Parivar’ and enter into ‘talks’ with saffron outfits. These have no legal validity. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. (File Photo: DC)
Hyderabad: The AIMIM passed 16 resolutions, including supporting the demand for reservations for backward Muslims, against the Uniform Civil Code and seeking repeal of ‘draconian’ laws on the pretext of ‘love jihad’ on the concluding day of its first-ever national convention, chaired by party chief Asaduddin Owaisi at Mumbai.
While reiterating that talks with Sangh has no sanctity, Owaisi renewed the party opposition to NSA (National Security Act of 1980), UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2008), AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Power Act) and PSA (Public Safety Act). While condemning the attacks on Muslims, other minorities and dalits, he demanded protection of civil liberties and release of all political prisoners.
The party condemned the recent efforts by a few ‘self-proclaimed leaders’ to ‘legitimise Sangh Parivar’ and enter into ‘talks’ with saffron outfits. These have no legal validity, he averred.
“Through Sangh-inspired talks, Muslims are treated as a group that have to live on the goodwill of a non-government entity in Nagpur, rather than as citizens who can demand their rights from the elected government of the day,” the resolution reads.
On ‘draconian’ laws, the resolution was “These laws interfere with the right to freedom of conscience, the right to choose a spouse or partner and the right to propagate one’s religion. Unjustifiably, many individuals have been arrested and are languishing in prison. The laws are being used to persecute Christians and Muslims.”
AIMIM condemned the discontinuation of Maulana Azad National Fellowship and restricting the scope of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for minorities, SC and ST students, when they had ‘opened avenues for first-generation learners to continue education.’
The 2-day convention was attended by leaders from Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
Later briefing media persons along with the party’s Maharashtra president, Imtiaz Jaleel, Owaisi alleged ‘match-fixing’ between BJP and so-called secular parties, as at the end of the day Muslims were the victims.
“After Modi came to power incidents of mob-lynching, targeting in the name of love jihad, surge in number of Muslims being sent to jail and bulldozer justice has gone up. When everyone is getting bail, why is Nawab Malik still languishing in jail. Azam Khan’s political career is over because of corruption charges,” he said.
On Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena calling for a united fight against the BJP, Owaisi dared the party to abandon its Hindutva ideology to take on the ruling party.
Over the issue of calls given for Hindu nation and Khalistan, he wondered ‘Amrit Kaal mein Amit (Shah) khamosh kyun hai?’.
