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INDIA bloc should explain failure to stop NDA in Bihar: Asaduddin Owaisi
Victories in 5 assembly seats, all in Bihar's Seemanchal region, mean that the AIMIM will account for nearly half the number of Muslim MLAs in the new assembly
New Delhi: The INDIA bloc should introspect and explain the reasons behind its failure to stop the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said, after his party wonfive out of 28 seats it contested in the assembly elections, results for which were declared on Friday. The wins, all in the Seemanchal region of Bihar, mean that the AIMIM will account for nearly half the number of Muslim legislators in the new assembly. In an interview with Saubhadra Chatterji, Owaisi said his party would respect the voters’ mandate in favour of the NDA, and would play a role of “constructive cooperation”.
How do you read the Bihar election result?
The people have given a mandate and we respect it. People have voted for (Janata Dal United leader and chief minister) Nitish Kumar. Our party will play a role of constructive cooperation because we want to develop the Seemanchal region as it is very important for Bihar and the country. It is the most underdeveloped part of the whole country and our work will continue.
As far as the INDIA bloc is concerned, they could not stop the NDA and they should tell the reasons behind their failures. They have been only utilising the Muslim votes with this hollow slogan that we have to change the government. But nothing happened. So they have completely failed in stopping the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the NDA in coming back in power.
The Mahagathbandhan depended on the Muslim-Yadav or MY vote-bank. Do you think the Muslim vote has split and you have your party has emerged as a credible alternative?
Now people do not believe in this illusion of MY is because Muslims have been treated as mere voters, not as citizens. There are 14% Yadavs (in the state) and they get 36% of the tickets and Muslims get a lollipop. The political empowerment (of Muslims) has not been done. The development of Muslim areas has not happened, especially in Seemanchal.
(Rashtriya Janata Dal leader) Tejashwi Yadav had been a deputy chief minister for four years. Lalu Prasad’s family had been in power for 15 years. We have become a very strong alternative to this bogus slogan of MY and that is why from last 11 years we have been stressing the on development of Seemanchal. And it was not a communal slogan, you know, many people from different religions and castes live in Seemanchal. We have been speaking about the injustice of Seemanchal and this will continue to do so in the future.
For years, parties labelled you as the B-team of the BJP.
Look, I am really not at all concerned with all these lies and false statements. The proof remains in the inability of these parties to stop Narendra Modi from becoming the Prime Minister for the third time.
I have said it in my speeches, ‘please do not vote for these people’ (Mahagathbandhan). They will not be able to defeat NDA or BJP, you know, they are only taking your vote and deceiving you. I told them to vote for the alliance which you have created or for the AIMIM party so that you will be able to develop your own leaders who can stand up and fight and try to bring development for you. Unfortunately, my apprehensions have been proven right: they have completely failed in stopping the BJP or NDA coming back to power.
Will the AIMIM further expand across India?
I will definitely be contesting in Uttar Pradesh and people have now realized that there is no point in voting for such parties who make these false claims of MY or PDA (backwards, Dalits and minorities), who only take votes and are not able to stop BJP. So, we firmly believe that these parties have made you mere voters; you have to become a citizen with rights. Then only can this discrimination, injustice end and development take place, which these parties are not offering you, they only want to treat you as voters. And that is why they, you know, do not even utter the word Muslim. So, we are just like sheep walking behind some fellow. The best way to describe it is: Muslims are tired of being used as a plastic cup in which tea is poured. And after drinking tea, that plastic cup is thrown away in some dustbin.
