India belongs to Dravidians, not me or Modi: Asaduddin Owaisi

BHIWANDI: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday took a dig at the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying that it is "only after Mughals."

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi, Asaduddin Owaisi said, "India is neither mine, nor Thackeray's, nor (PM) Modi-Shah's. If India belongs to anyone, it's Dravidians and Adivasis but BJP-RSS only after Mughals. India was formed after people migrated from Africa, Iran, Central Asia, East Asia."

Owaisi slammed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar and questioned him why he didn't meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Nawab Malik's arrest as he did for Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Taking a dig at NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP collectively during a rally, Mr Owaisi said, "BJP, NCP, Congress, SP (Samajwadi Party) are the secular parties. They think that they should not go to jail but it is okay if someone Muslim party member goes. NCP chief Sharad Pawar goes to meet PM Modi to urge him not to take any action against Sanjay Raut. I want to ask NCP workers why Pawar did not do the same thing for Nawab Malik."

"Is Nawab Malik less than Sanjay Raut? I want to ask Sharad Pawar why you didn't speak for Nawab Malik? Is it because he is a Muslim? Are Sanjay and Nawab not equal?", added Owaisi.

Owaisi also demanded the release of the party's Bhiwandi leader Khalid Guddu. "Khalid Gudu was arrested in a fraud case. He is in jail and the section which was slapped on him was totally wrong. I request Shiv Sena and Chief Minister to please release Khalid Guddu," he added.

"They arrested Khalid Guddu because he was against power and corruption. So, the state government arrested him with the help of the Mumbai police," claimed Owaisi.