Majlis president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi sought release of 40 construction workers held captive by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) militiamen in Iraq on Friday.
Addressing a gathering at ‘Youmul-Quran’ held at the Mecca Masjid here after Friday prayers, Mr. Owaisi said that the workers headed to Iraq for better job opportunities and improve the economic conditions of their families.
“The ISIS leadership should release the captive workers in the month of Ramzan. They are innocent and are no way connected to the ongoing conflict in the country,” he said. He also asked the Iraqi government to protect the religious places and take steps to stop its demolition at the hands of ISIS.
The MIM chief criticised the silence of ‘powerful countries’ to the atrocities committed by Israeli forces on innocent Palestinian civilians. “The country needs military help at this point of time and not financial aid,” he said.
He also took a dig at the Shiv Sena MP for forcing a hotel worker who was observing fast (roza) to eat food. “Leave his religious identity. He was meted out such humiliation because he was a poor man. The BJP came to power by promising to transform the lives of poor. Is this the way they do it?,” he asked.
