‘If you are showering flowers on them, at least don't bulldoze us': Owaisi

Amid uproar over Muslims offering namaz at Lucknow's LuLu Mall, Owaisi asked why Kanwariyas are treated with such warmth. “ Why divert traffic for one religion and bulldoze for another?" he tweeted.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took a jibe at the warmth with which Kanwariyas are greeted and said if they are showered with petals, then the authorities should at least spare Muslims from bulldozing their houses. Sharing several news reports about the Kanwar Yatra, Owaisi said, "If a Muslim offers prayers in an open place even for a few minutes, it leads to a row. Muslims are facing police bullets, custodial clashes, NSA, UAPA, lynchings, bulldozers just for being Muslims." Watch: Kanwariyas showered with flower petals from chopper by top official in UP

Owaisi's comments came at a time when several incidents of Muslims offering namaz in a public place in Uttar Pradesh have been reported and arrests have been made. After the LuLu Mall row in connection with which several Muslim youth have been arrested, an elderly man was caught offering namaz in front of a government official's residence in Gorakhpur. In another recent incident, a video showing a man offering namaz allegedly at a shopping complex in Meerut has surfaced on social media.

"Cops are showing petals on Kanwaria, applying lotion on their feet. Delhi Police removed blacksmiths from their route so that Kanwarias do not get upset, the UP government banned meat on their route. Is it not revadi culture?" Owaisi tweeted. PM Modi recently talked about the 'revadi culture' and said this culture of sops is very dangerous for the country.

Citing a report, Owaisi said, "The sentiments of the Kanwariya are so strong that they can not even tolerate the name of a Muslim police officer. Why this distinction? Why hate one and love the other? Why divert traffic for one religion and bulldoze for another?"