Asaduddin Owaisi backs brother Akbaruddin Owaisi over police excess

All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi came out in strong support of his brother and Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi’s outburst against the police, who, he said, tried to wrap up Akbar’s meeting five minutes before the deadline.

Participating in the ‘Meet the Press programme’ organised by the Telangana Union of Working Journalists at Basheerbagh Press Club here on Wednesday, he said: "For a politician, it is very essential to make effective opening as well as closing remarks. We have time till 10 pm, but police forced pre-closure depriving the opportunity to Akbaruddin to make closing remarks."

He said that his party would seek a probe by the Election Commission of India (ECI) against police excess, which was captured even by the cameras installed by ECI observers.

Asked why the MIM fielded a Muslim candidate against Congress nominee and ex-cricketer Md Azharuddin in Jubilee Hills, the Hyderabad MP took strong exception to the selective targeting of his party. "Why no one questions leaders of other castes contesting against each other and targets the MIM for fielding a Muslim against another Muslim?" he said.

"The Majlis is very strong in the constituency in which four municipal divisions were won by the party. It is not new for us to field candidate from Jubilee Hills as well as the erstwhile Khairatabad in which the present Jubilee Hills segment was part," he said.

Asaduddin called Azharuddin a good cricketer but an unsuccessful politician and administrator. "After winning the prestigious Moradabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, he



never visited the place nor addressed local problems. His own party did not re-nominate him from the same seat and sent him to another place. We all saw how, as president of the HCA, he brought down the glory of Hyderabad in Ranji leagues," he said.

The MIM chief exuded confidence that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would win for a third time and form the government. Asked if his party would support the BRS in case of a hung Assembly, despite the former seeking the support of the BJP also, Asaduddin said he would not prefer to answer hypothetical questions.

"The BJP has been hoping for a hung Assembly so that it can take advantage in Lok Sabha polls. But I am sure KCR will win comfortably," he said.

He reiterated his allegation that PCC chief A. Revanth Reddy "can never come out of the ideological influence of RSS".

On the crucial reservation issue for Muslims, Asaduddin said AP and Telangana state governments had been implementing four per cent reservation to Muslims, not based on religion, but treating them as a backward caste.

When the BRS’ failure to implement its poll promise of 12 per cent reservation was brought to his notice, the MIM chief said: "Let the four per cent reservation, which had the backing of a Supreme Court order, be implemented. It is for the Centre to breach the 50 per cent cap on reservations, which will help state enhance reservation to Muslims."

Asaduddin said it was Rahul Gandhi who announced that doors were shut for the MIM and the BRS in the I.N.D.I.A., about which he is not bothered.