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Owaisi postpones rally, says party to go alone in civic polls
After incidents of lathi-charge and protests on Monday, the administration reportedly advised the party to defer the event. Local AIMIM functionaries confirmed that the rally would be rescheduled.
PUNE: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM’s) planned rally in Ahilyanagar on Tuesday was abruptly postponed despite police permission, after local authorities imposed stringent conditions in view of recent communal tension in the area.
Police had initially cleared the meeting but asked organisers to restrict the gathering to a smaller space, and ensure that no provocative speeches were delivered. AIMIM leaders argued after incidents of lathi-charge and protests on Monday, the administration reportedly advised the party to defer the event. Local AIMIM functionaries confirmed that the rally would be rescheduled.
Against this backdrop, Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi addressed journalists in Pune later in the day, clarifying that his party will contest the forthcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra independently, while keeping the door open for alliances depending on local political dynamics.
Owaisi underlined that AIMIM was determined to expand its base in the state, despite obstacles. “Despite all this, our political journey will continue. We are committed to strengthening AIMIM in Maharashtra,” he said.
Commenting on the ongoing ‘I Love Muhammad’ row, Owaisi defended the right of Muslims to revere the Prophet, citing constitutional guarantees. “India is a country where every community takes pride in its religious figures. For us Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad is a very important figure. Article 25 gives me the freedom of religion. If someone expresses devotion to a figure of his religion, it is not wrong. The Constitution says this country has no religion, but BJP and RSS believe otherwise,” he said.
On Muslim demographics, the AIMIM chief urged the community to shed the belief that so-called secular parties were less communal than the BJP. “Every society and religion has social evils. Regarding population, the latest National Family Health Survey shows the sharpest decline in Total Fertility Rate among Muslims. While it is still marginally higher than Hindus, experts have said Muslim population growth will stabilise and will never surpass that of Hindus,” he noted.
Asked about the government’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Owaisi avoided hypothetical comparisons. “Mere bhai, ye khwab dekhne ka mujhe shaukh nahi (I don’t dream of such things). After Pahalgam, the country had a real opportunity to respond strongly, but operations were suddenly stopped. Why stop when the nation was ready for a decisive response? Instead, the government talks in Parliament about PoK,” he remarked.
Reacting to postponement of Ahilyanagar rally, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel said, “Monday’s communal unrest was deliberate attempt to make sure AIMIM doesn’t hold its rally in Ahilyanagar.”
