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Owaisi convoy attack being probed, urge him to accept security: Shah in Parl
Last week, gunshots were fired at the car of the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Hapur in western Uttar Pradesh.
Union home minister Amit Shah said on Monday the attack on Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on February 3 is being probed and requested the latter to accept the security provided by the Union government.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha during the budget session of Parliament, Shah said, “There were no leads or tip-offs about such an attack. On examining the spot, two were arrested and police recovered a car and two pistols. The forensic team is probing the incident and the two men are being questioned by the Uttar Pradesh Police.”
"The home ministry received a report from the Uttar Pradesh government immediately," Shah added.
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Stating that Owaisi still faces threat as per the government assessment, the Union home minister said a bulletproof vehicle and Z category security has been given to him.
“But, as per verbal information by himself, he (Owaisi) has refused to accept it. I request him to accept the security given to him by the central government,” Shah further said in the Upper House of Parliament.
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Last week, gunshots were fired at the car of the AIMIM chief in Hapur in western Uttar Pradesh. Owaisi was returning to Delhi after campaigning for the Assembly election in the state. No one was injured in the attack, the MP had tweeted hours after the attack.
The two persons, charged with attempt to murder, have been identified as Sachin and Shubham – residents of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Saharanpur, respectively. Police said two pistols were seized from attackers' possession and a Maruti Alto car was also impounded in connection with the case.
A day after the incident, the Centre offered ‘Z’ category security to Owaisi, but the latter rejected the same and asked the Narendra Modi-led government to make him an “A category” citizen “at par” with all.
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"I don't want Z category security. I want to be an A category citizen, at par with you all. Why was UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) not invoked against those who fired at me? ...I want to live, to speak. My life will be safe when the poor are safe. I will not get scared of those who shot at my car," Owaisi said in the Lok Sabha last week.
Owaisi also demanded an independent probe by the Election Commission (EC) into the attack.
