All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's latest remark expressing desire to one day see a hijab-clad woman become the prime minister of India has snowballed into a political controversy.
Owaisi and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma traded barbs over the weekend after the latter said that the Indian PM "will always be a Hindu person".
The AIMIM chief hit back on Sunday, calling the BJP leader's remark petty. "There is a 'tubelight' in his head. He took an oath on the Constitution. Where is this written in the Constitution?," Owaisi asked, referencing the Assam CM's comments.
Who said what
A row erupted on Saturday after Owaisi, who was speaking at the election meeting in Solapur, Maharashtra, highlighted the inclusivity in India's Constitution and how it allows a person from any religion or caste to hold the PM post.
"The constitution of Pakistan clearly states that a person belonging to only one religion can become the Prime Minister of the country. Baba Saheb'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," Owaisi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}"The constitution of Pakistan clearly states that a person belonging to only one religion can become the Prime Minister of the country. Baba Saheb'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," Owaisi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}Later, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma lashed out at Owaisi for his remarks. While he agreed that the Constitution doesn't bar anyone from holding the PM post, Sarma also said: "Anyone can become the Prime Minister. But India is a Hindu nation, Hindu civilisation, and we will always believe, and we are extremely confident that the Indian Prime Minister will always be a Hindu person."
Owaisi, Cong MP slam Assam CM
The Assam chief minister's remarks drew backlash on Sunday, with Owaisi reminding him of his oath on the Constitution, and Congress MP Imran Masood asking the BJP leader to be mindful of his language.
“Pakistan's Constitution mentions that person of just one community can become the PM and President of that country. In our country, Babasaheb Ambedkar gave the Constitution. He was more intelligent and educated than Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Owaisi said as he interacted with the media. Owaisi also called the Assam CM's remarks “petty”.
Meanwhile, Masood also lashed out at Himanta Sarma, saying religion should not determine who holds constitutional positions. He also reminded Sarma of former PM Manmohan Singh, who held the PM post and was a Sikh, not Hindu.
“A person's position of power cannot be determined by religion here.He is the Chief Minister, a constitutional post; he should be mindful of his language,” Masood was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
BJP slams Owaisi
As AIMIM and Congress slammed Himanta Biswa Sarma, some BJP leaders criticsed Owaisi's remarks instead, accusing him of trying to revive communal tensions for political gains.
"Once again, Asaduddin Owaisi, MP of Hyderabad, has made a statement about a hijab-clad woman becoming the Prime Minister. Once again, he wants to revive communal tensions and do politics only on a communal basis," BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy was quoted as saying by ANI.
BJP leader RP Singh also weighed in, highlighting how several Muslim women in prominent positions across the world do not wear hijab. "In many countries around the world, Muslim sisters and daughters have served as Prime Ministers and Presidents, but they never wore a hijab. He is deliberately playing politics on this issue. We expect him to first bring forward a leader from your own party who wears a hijab" Singh was quoted as saying by ANI.