All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi and poet Kumar Vishwas on Monday traded barbs after the former highlighted the absence of senior Muslim IPS officers in important positions in the Intelligence Bureau. Citing a report by Asian Age, Owaisi alleged that Muslim IPS officers were being slowly shunted out from spy agencies, calling it a “reflection of the suspicion with which BJP sees Muslims”. The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad also said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party constantly demand proof of loyalty from Muslims but never accepts them as equal fellow citizens.
“For the first time in decades, there won’t be any Muslim officers in Intelligence Bureau’s senior leadership. It is a reflection of the suspicion with which BJP sees Muslims. IB & R&AW have become exclusive majoritarian institutions. You constantly demand proof of loyalty from Muslims, but never accept them as equal fellow citizens,” Owaisi said in a tweet.
Quoting Owaisi's tweet, Kumar Vishwas asked the lawmaker to pledge that he will choose India over Islam and the Constitution over Quran when given the option.
While some Twitter users hit out at Vishwas asking him to describe the situation when citizens would be asked to choose between their religion and the country, Owaisi, without taking the poet's name, took a swipe by pointing to cases of honeytrap involving non-Muslim officials.
{{/usCountry}}While some Twitter users hit out at Vishwas asking him to describe the situation when citizens would be asked to choose between their religion and the country, Owaisi, without taking the poet's name, took a swipe by pointing to cases of honeytrap involving non-Muslim officials.
{{/usCountry}}Owaisi said, “People raised a lot of questions on my tweet about the dearth of Muslim officers in India's spy and intelligence agencies.”
“Muslims are asked what will they choose between their religion and the country,” the AIMIM chief said, in an obvious reference to the poet-politician's remark.
He further wrote, “Don't know how many people are caught while selling the security (-related information) of the country, ISI creates fake accounts of women and traps them. Leave the religion aside, will anyone ask them what such people choose between their lust and the country?”
The Maharashtra state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) recently arrested a senior director of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for allegedly providing confidential information to a Pakistani agent. Scientist Pradeep Kurulkar (60), director, DRDO (Engineers) in Pune was arrested in a suspected case of honeytrap, the release issued by ATS said.
“The scientist, by misusing his position, despite knowing that the official secrets in his possession if obtained by the enemy country can pose a threat to the security of the country, provided the sensitive details illegally to the enemy country,” an ATS release said.