Bengaluru: Hyderabad-based All-India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) entry into state’s political landscape, particularly Bengaluru, seems to have triggered a panic among Congress leaders.
It was evident when top Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar, Infrastructure Minister R. Roshan Baig and former Union minister K. Rehman Khan, organised a meeting of party minority leaders and sympathisers on Saturday. The leaders slammed AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, obliquely referring to him as a stooge of the saffron brigade.
Mr Baig termed Mr Owaisi a traitor. “He is similar to the Hyderabad Nizam, who sided with the imperial powers and considered only profit, while Tipu Sultan fought for freedom. Muslims in Bengaluru too should behave like Tipu and not like Nizam," he said.
Mr Singh said that the Congress is the only true secular party, striving to protect the interests of every community. “Every religion teaches us love, whereas certain people like Mr Owaisi try to pollute it by propagating religious fanaticism. We need to be aware of such people and reject them," he warned.
Mr Siddamraiah said that Muslims are one of the largest voting communities. They need to vote for the Congress and not waste their franchise by supporting JD(S). "No doubt Mr Owaisi is a known hate monger, but the JD(S) is more dangerous. It has close links with the BJP," he said. Mr Rehman Khan alleged that Mr Owaisi is working at the behest of saffron brigade. “He is a pawn in RSS’s big game. They have instigated Mr Owaisi to break into the Muslim vote bank to ensure their party's victory,” he said.
Facebook, Twitter abuzz with Congress messages
The extent of panic in the Congress can be gauged by the lengthy messages on Facebook and WhatsApp, uploaded by second rung leaders, who allege that Mr Owaisi is lighting a fire on behalf of the RSS and BJP, which will harm Muslims.
“We must adopt the similar resilience of those Hindu friends who did not heed to hate mongers like Mr (Pravin) Togadia. The educated non-Muslims did not fall for Mr Togadia. Mr Owaisi's words will deprive Muslims of their secular friends. Mr Owaisi’s speeches, which are full of arrogance, have brought lot of cheer to the RSS camp,” they said.
