Hyderabad, Sep 4 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday hit out at Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy over his remarks that AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi were as patriotic as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Bandi Sanjay questioned whether AIMIM’s alleged opposition to the singing of the full version of Vande Mataram, the abrogation of Article 370 and the Citizenship Amendment Act amounted to patriotism.
“Welcome to the Revanth Reddy School of Patriotism, where even walking out on Vande Mataram can earn you a distinction. Sonia Gandhi is uncomfortable with the full Vande Mataram. Owaisi and AIMIM MLAs walk out when the full Vande Mataram is sung,” he said in a post on X.
Referring to a controversial speech by AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in 2013, in which he allegedly said it would take them only “15 minutes” to balance the “Hindu-Muslim ratio” in the country if the police were removed, Bandi Sanjay questioned whether the remarks could be considered an expression of patriotism.
He also posted a purported video of Akbaruddin Owaisi’s speech.
Bandi Sanjay questioned whether what he described as repeated attacks by the Owaisis on the Centre’s national security policies, as well as their controversial remarks against Hindu gods and beliefs, could be considered patriotism.
“Serious questions have been raised over alleged terror links involving individuals associated with institutions connected to the Owaisi family. Is asking for answers on those links now anti-patriotic?” he said.
Alleging that institutions linked to Asaduddin Owaisi’s family were built on encroached lake land, Bandi Sanjay asked whether that record “disappears, too”.
He said the CM should first issue a clarification to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had accused AIMIM of helping the BJP, before issuing “certificates” of patriotism to the Owaisi brothers.
“Was Rahul Gandhi wrong about AIMIM?” the senior BJP leader asked.
Revanth Reddy could issue as many certificates of patriotism as he wanted, but Telangana had watched the speeches, statements and politics of the Owaisis for decades, Bandi Sanjay said, adding that one certificate could not erase that record.
“But anyway, congratulations to the Owaisi brothers. And special congratulations to Rahul Gandhi. His own CM has finally corrected him,” he said.
Revanth Reddy on Thursday had said Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi were no less patriotic than Modi and Shah. PTI SJR SSK
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