Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has challenged Wayanad MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Hyderabad.
“I am challenging your leader, Rahul Gandhi, to enter the electoral battle in Hyderabad rather than Wayanad. Don’t just make bold statements; step onto the battlefield,” declared AIMIM’s president, amid enthusiastic cheers from the assembled crowd.
Addressing a public gathering in his parliamentary constituency Hyderabad, Owaisi also chastised the Congress party for its role during the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition under the Narasimha Rao government.
“Congress may make lofty claims, but I’m prepared to face the challenge. Both the Babri Masjid and the Secretariat’s mosque met their demise during Congress rule,” he said.
Owaisi’s challenge came shortly after Rahul Gandhi articulated optimism about the Congress party’s performance in various states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. He also predicted a close contest race in Rajasthan, which the party expected to win.
Addressing another issue, Owaisi commented on the controversy surrounding BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s derogatory comments aimed at BSP lawmaker Danish Ali. He expressed concerns, saying, “We may soon witness a situation where a Muslim member of Parliament faces mob lynching within the country’s legislative halls.”
Owaisi criticized the evident inconsistency with the ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with All, Development for All) slogan and noted the silence of the Prime Minister on the matter.
He also recounted his personal encounter with Bidhuri, stating, “The individual who made inappropriate remarks about a Muslim MP in Parliament had faced me. I told him, ‘Sit down; you cannot engage in a debate with me.’”
Bidhuri’s offensive comments against Bahujan Samaj Party member Danish Ali occurred during a discussion on Chandrayaan-3’s success in the Lok Sabha, sparking outrage and demands for strict action against the BJP MP.