Exclusive interview: Why ask Muslims to be secular, says Asaduddin Owaisi
Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took strong exception to the doubts that the Congress and the BJP expressed about his patriotism and the allegation that he does not believe in the Constitution.
In an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, held amid his hectic campaign for the April 11 elections, Mr Owaisi said he firmly believed in the Constitution because it mandated that the state must be religion-neutral. “Why must Muslims be secular? The Constitution allows people to practice their religion and live in harmony. This in itself is a clear indication that the people have to live together. During the election season we see that there are people who are calling out to Muslims to be secular. Why must these calls be made? What is the reason for it?”
Referring to the instances of “Modi bhakts” branding everyone who spoke against Mr Modi as anti-national, he said the label was suffocating. It was pinned on everyone, irrespective of whether the person was a Hindu or a Muslim. He felt that the anti-national tag was not what Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar had fought for. “The Constitution that protects Indians has to be protected,” Mr Owaisi said. He said people were fed up of being called anti-national, and instances of mob lynching was a cause for concern. “To add to this is the state of the Indian economy, rising unemployment and the growing inequalities which are casting a shadow on India.”
Answering questions about the expansion of his party, detaching from the Congress and extending strong support to Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao and the TRS, Mr Owaisi said that a non-Congress non-BJP government can be a reality. He said this was an open election as there is no wave for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made it clear he did not accept the brand of secularism that the Congress portrayed. The community had got very little benefit from the Congress, he said. He had associated with the Congress for eight years during the UPA-I and UPA-II governments but he left the Congress after a bitter experience.
He said the five years of the Chandrasekhar Rao government had fostered confidence in him. “In KCR’s lifetime, my association with the Congress would not be possible,” he said. MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking a fourth term in the Lok Sabha from the Hyderabad constituency, where his grip appears unshakeable. Despite his popularity, and the fact that his Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has won all seven Assembly seats, he still believes that he must walk the bylanes of his constituency in the heat and meet the voters.
Mr Owaisi believes that to win an election it is important to be seen and be present with the people who are going to vote you back. His padayatra, holding a mike and someone holding the loudspeaker, may sound old-fashioned for many but for Mr Owaisi that is the basic which must be followed. The results of this policy are seen on results day.
The padayatras are held in the morning and the evening with local leaders in tow. In the midst of his energetic campaign on a warm day, Mr Owaisi made time for an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle. If the campaign involves more bread and butter issues, and people speaking of local problems, Mr Owaisi speaks of larger concerns over spreading incidents of communalism, political alliances, the Congress narrative, the mood of the nation and more.
A highly popular member of Parliament why are you confining yourself to the Hyderabad parliamentary seat? Why is the MIM contesting only three seats in the Lok Sabha elections?
When I am contesting only from two additional seats outside my state I am being called a ‘B’ team. I want to expand but it has to be a well-planned move. There are many people who are coming to me and saying that they want to contest from my party. But I need to understand the people and they need to understand me and my style of functioning. It is important to have an organisational set-up for long-term survival. I am ready for a long innings as I am not in the political evening of my life. For this reason, in Seemanchal and Aurangabad. we are having party workers who have been working for quite some time. In Aurangabad we have corporators and an MLA, hence we have formed a base there. We will also see a new set of young leaders from the Learn Project and we will be working with them on various platforms and they will represent the party on various fora.
In Telangana you have one seat and you have shown great faith in Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Are are very confident that Mr Rao will not join the BJP?
Is there any confidence that the Congress will cross 100 seats? What is this whole thing about the Congress? They have not come from the God Almighty, it is merely a political party. I don’t believe that the Congress has done something great. In fact, it is more responsible for Muslim backwardness in the country. Why is everyone not asking whether the Congress will cross 100 seats? Why is everyone not raising the issue of whether or not the Congress will be able to form government? Aap ham pe hi kyun dal rahe hai ke aap kya karenge (Why are you asking only me what I plan to do?) KCR has never looked at any issue presented to him either as that of a Muslim or a Hindu. He has carried out work in the Old City areas which were pending since 2012. We are now going to have the two-bedroom houses, widening of two major nalas and the development of Metro Rail in the Old City. Malakpet and Chaderghat are parts of the Old City and Metro Rail is over there. The allegation that there is no Metro Rail in Old City is wrong. Whatever issues we have represented to him, they have been solved. Development is an issue and I do see that there is a need for more funds to be sanctioned to carry out improvement works. The five years of his rule have ensured that there were no communal incidents and he has been instrumental in ensuring that the BJP does not gain a foothold in the state. The recent Assembly elections are a strong indicator of his style of functioning as all the BJP leaders in the state lost their deposits. The 2023 Assembly elections are going to be a fight between the TRS and the MIM against the BJP only in Telangana.
What is the reason for your aversion to the Congress? You had been associated with them for a long time.
The association with the Congress was for eight long years and we have realised that there is not much difference between the Congress and the BJP. The support was provided to the Congress but they play the same games all the time. They have never lived up to their word for the development of the constituency and for solving the problems of the minorities. After the death of YSR there has not been the kind of commitment that was seen earlier. At the Centre, the Congress is talking about bringing an Act against sedition but the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was brought by the Congress. This has been used against Muslims and Adivasis and now they are talking about bringing a Bill against sedition. The UAPA is worse than sedition. These are the issues of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi is now openly practising Hindutva and as a Muslim where do I fit in? If Rahul Gandhi says his party has the DNA of Brahmins then what about my DNA? Should I get it checked? I don’t even contest seats in other states yet I am being called ‘B’ and ‘C’ team. What is the message you are sending to the people of Hyderabad and those who support the MIM? Rahul Gandhi toured in the Assembly constituencies and particularly targeted and branded us the results are there to see that it does not work.
Do you now think that there has been a shift in the Muslim vote bank and that they are looking at other options?
There is nothing like a Muslim vote bank. This was a myth which got busted in the 2014 elections. There is a consolidation of votes now and that is being seen in a majority of the people and that could be the majority vote bank. Just like the onus of secularism is not on the Muslims. Why must Muslims be secular? The Constitution of India allows people to practise their religion and live in harmony. This in itself is a clear indication and that the people have to live together. But during the election season we see that there are people who are calling to the Muslims to be secular. Why must these calls be made? What is the reason for it? For me, secularism means believe in the Constitution and follow it. The Constitution states that the State is neutral and they have to follow that. What are we seeing in the country in the name of the State? The brand of secularism is being used only by the political parties for their gains. The need is to implement the Constitution in the right spirit and that is what the country requires.
Do you think in these elections the people are looking up to the Constitution?
There are many out there who know that the things in the country are not going in the right direction and I can only hope that the people restore their faith in the Constitution.
You have been saying that there is no wave of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but there are many supporters who will want to see him back in power. You have been very critical of his policies and also targeted him openly.
There is no wave this time as was seen in 2014. This is an open election and the numbers are not going to add up in the states as was in 2014. It is going to be a different election with emergence of different forces from different sectors. We are undermining the effects on economy, demonetisation, unemployment and the propaganda of anti-national that we are facing. These will have a severe impact on the voting pattern. It is not possible for the BJP to sweep Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and nor will they get enough seats in Odisa, West Bengal and the northeastern states. In South India, in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh they will lose and in Tamil Nadu too the chances are slim. These calculations show that there is no Modi wave in 2019.
How is the anti-national tag affecting India? You too have been tagged from time to time.
The anti-national tag is suffocating for every Indian. Once you speak against the supreme power Narendra Modi the anti-national term is christened. In these there is no division of Hindu or Muslim. This is not the India Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar fought for. This is going to play a major role in these elections as people are going to remember when they were called these terms in their social groups. Many of them are not putting forth their views for the sheer reason that they will be called anti-national.
Will you go to Andhra Pradesh to campaign for YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy?
Yes, if my friend Jagan Mohan Reddy wants me to come to Andhra Pradesh I will go there. The victory of YSRC in 20-plus Lok Sabha seats is certain and the 17 seats from Telangana of TRS and MIM will play a crucial role in the formation of the government at the Centre.
The hatred that is being spewed around is becoming a concern for many. How can this hatred be dealt with?
This has to come down and we as a nation have to become mature to work against it. Earlier it was said that these are fringe elements. But these are no longer fringe elements and they have become major players. There is a strong requirement to control them and for this the law must be used and not favouritism. The law must be allowed to act against such elements in the country. Is that happening? What are we witnessing is a reverse of the system and it is being targeted only at a section of society which is not right.
Do you look at a Muslim-Dalit alliance across the country?
There is a churning from the ground level and we are working towards it. Prakash Ambedkar is now the undisputed leader of the Dalit community.
