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‘Hijabi woman will be India PM': Owaisi draws contrast with Pakistan; BJP reacts with a suggestion
It is my dream that a day will come when a hijab-clad daughter will become the Prime Minister of this country, Owaisi said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday said that he dreams of a day when a ‘hijab-clad daughter’ would become the prime minister of India as he invoked the secular values of the Indian Constitution drafted by Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Owaisi's remarks prompted a reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which suggested him to start with naming a Muslim woman president for his party first.
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“Baba Sahib's constitution says that any citizen of India can become Prime Minister, CM, or mayor. It is my dream that a day will come when a hijab-clad daughter will become the Prime Minister of this country,” Lok Sabha MP Owaisi said at a rally in Solapur, Maharashtra.
Owaisi further said," We may not be around to witness the day, but a day will come when this will be possible."
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Drawing parallels with neighbouring Pakistan, Owaisi said, “The constitution of Pakistan clearly states that a person belonging to only one religion can become the Prime Minister of the country."
Owaisi further said that those who "spread hate against Muslims will come to an end" and when love becomes common, people will realise "how their people's mind was poisoned".
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"The hate that you are spreading against Muslims, this will not go on for long. Those who spread hate will come to an end. When love becomes common, then they will realise how people's mind was poisoned," he said.
Owaisi sparks reactions
Soon after Owaisi's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla made a sharp attack and challenged him to make a 'Pasmanda' Muslim or hijab-clad woman the president of AIMIM.
"Hijabwali will become PM says Miyaan Owaisi. Miyaan Owaisi - constitution stops nobody, but I challenge you to make a Pasmanda or Hijabwali as your president of AIMIM first," Poonawalla said in a post on X.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also weighed in and said prime minister of India will always be a Hindu even though Constitution does not bar anyone from becoming a PM.
“Constitutionally, there is no bar on anyone becoming the Prime Minister. But India is a Hindu nation with a Hindu civilisation, and we strongly believe that the Prime Minister of India will always be a Hindu,” Sarma said.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC also reacted and said there is "no vacancy for the Prime Minister's post".
"Asaduddin Owaisi, there is no vacancy for the Prime Minister's slot. Narendra Modi's popularity is known to one and all. First, let your members of parliament be elected, then dream about a Prime Minister. Yes, at some stage, we too would want a woman Prime Minister, but not based on her caste, creed, or community, but on her good work and the popular mandate of the people of India," Shaina was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Shaina NC said that leadership should be based on performance and popular mandate, not caste, creed, or community. She added that a woman Prime Minister could be supported in the future on merit.
Owaisi corners Congress over UAPA
Owaisi also made fiery remarks against the Congress as he blamed it for prolonged incarceration of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. He slammed the Congress for its alleged role in strengthening the stringent provisions of the UAPA and alleged that the amendments introduced by Congress, when P Chidambaram was the union home minister, have resulted in prolonged incarceration of undertrial prisoners, including scholar-activists Khalid and Imam.
