BJP floor leader Aleti Maheswar Reddy objected to Owaisi’s remarks, questioning how the House could allow “distasteful language” such as baap ki jagir and references to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Hyderabad: Floor leaders of AIMIM and BJP engaged in a heated exchange in the Assembly over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, likely to be undertaken in Phase-III in Telangana.
During the debate on the Telangana Municipalities Amendment Bill, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi stressed India’s identity as a nation of “diverse faiths” and declared that it was not anyone’s “father’s property” (baap ki jagir).
He cited the SIR outcome in Bihar, saying, “Not a single Muslim in the state was found to be from either Bangladesh or Pakistan. Even Rahul Gandhi has taken up the issue citing ‘vote chori’, as the SIR has deprived lakhs of their voting rights. This is only political propaganda, for spreading hatred in the name of Hindu, Muslim. No one owns this country and this is no one’s father’s property. This country belongs to people practicing diverse faiths and also those who don’t believe in God.”
BJP floor leader Aleti Maheswar Reddy objected to Owaisi’s remarks, questioning how the House could allow “distasteful language” such as baap ki jagir and references to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “This is not only a deviation from the subject, but also how one can get away by using such phrases,” he said.
Responding, Owaisi asserted that fellow members could not restrain him from speaking. “They cannot dictate terms to us,” he snapped. Reddy retorted, “Even you also should avoid dictating terms to us.” He further objected to his microphone being cut off during the debate and demanded a separate discussion on the matter in the House.
Legislative affairs minister D. Sridhar Babu clarified that there was no need for further debate, as both leaders had expressed the view that “none of the eligible voters should get disenfranchised” during the exercise.
“Since both made their points, the Government will come back with a proper reply. We will assure that no eligible voter will be removed. Even Rahul Gandhi tried to reflect the same. We are all ready for the debate and the matter should be taken up with the BAC (Business Advisory Committee), if you insist,” he said.
