Reacting to AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's incessant attacks on the BJP over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said several Muslim leaders had been lying to the community. He said these leaders had been trying to place a black band on the eyes of the Muslims.
"Muslim leaders are constantly lying to the Muslim community on the Waqf Bill. The Muslim leaders are putting the black band in the eyes of Muslims. The Amendment was based on complaints of over 10,000 Muslims. People like Owaisi are giving the wrong message to Muslims for appeasement. First, the JPC was formed, and when the bill was prepared, home minister Amit Shah asked to give suggestions, but no one gave any suggestions," he said.
He was referring to a protest called by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in which it asked Muslims to wear black armbands as a mark of protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill while offering namaz on the occasion of Alvida Jumma. Owaisi attended such a protest in Hyderabad on Friday.
Manoj Tiwari appealed to the Muslims to not get trapped in the words of Muslim leaders.
{{/usCountry}}Manoj Tiwari appealed to the Muslims to not get trapped in the words of Muslim leaders.
{{/usCountry}}"The Waqf Board will be made stronger through this Bill, and the Muslims of the country will get their rights. The Bill is in favour of the Muslims. Muslim widows and children would get their rights," he added.
What Owaisi said on Friday
Asaduddin Owaisi, in an emotive remark, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shooting bullets "at our chest" with the proposed legislation.
"We are supporting a black band against the Waqf Bill, by the order of AIMPLB. Through this Waqf Bill, Narendra Modi is shooting bullets at our chest, at our mosques, and on our dargahs. When Hindu temples (committees) can have only Hindu members, how can a non-Muslim be part of the Waqf Board? When Gurudwaras can have only Sikh members, then how can we make a non-Muslim member here?... What justice is this?" he said on Friday.
Owaisi also attacked the BJP's NDA allies like N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Chirag Paswan (LJP-Ram Vilas), and Jayant Chaudhary (RLD), saying Muslims would "never forgive" them for "giving permission" to the BJP to attack the Shariat.
With inputs from ANI