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AIMIM chief tears into Grand Old Party, saying it is ideologically comprised
HUBBALI: After deciding to play it safe last time, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) decided to get its feet dirty this time by jumping into the political battlefield in Karnataka.
AIMIM is fielding two candidates in the upcoming Karnataka assembly election, and it has also extended its support to one of the independent candidates from the Jamkhandi legislative assembly.
AIMIM is fielding Durgappa Kashappa Bijawad from the Hubbali-Dharwad East seat and Allabaksh Mehboob Sab Bijapur from Basavana Bagewadi.
With Congress banking on Muslim votes for a revival of their fortune, it accused AIMIM of playing into the BJP’s hands by dividing the votes.
Reacting to Congress’ comments, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi termed the Congress arrogant. “The Congress party is too arrogant to introspect and to look at their weaknesses,” he said.
Talking about Rahul Gandhi’s loss in Amethi, which was once considered a fort of Gandhi’s family, Owaisi said, “The person you mentioned (Rahul Gandhi) lost in Amethi, and we were not there. You could win only about 45 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when we contest just three seats. Who’s responsible for this? In Karnataka, you had only one MP and I did not even contest. Who was responsible for it?”
Citing Congress’s flip-flop on the Bajrang Dal issue, Owaisi said, “Congress party is ideologically compromised. That is why they are not able to fight (PM) Narendra Modi.”
“Take the example of the ban on Bajrang Dal. What happened? Now the Congress is saying we are not going to impose a ban, but you use that term to send out a message to the Muslims of Karnataka that they will take on this right-wing organisation head-on,” he said.
“But no, you only played a dirty game. Now your party president in Karnataka said that the party will construct more temples if we win the Karnataka tournament. What kind of ideology is this?” Owaisi wondered.
“That is why I said the Congress Party has compromised their ideology, and that is why the results are there for the nation to see,” he pointed out, citing the gradual decline of the once formidable Congress.
Talking about AIMIM’s chances, Owaisi said, “Last time we took a decision not to contest because of some organisational weaknesses. But this time around, we have contested in places where our presence is there, in the form of municipal corporators and organisations.”
Owaisi also announced that one of his aims is to become the voice of the weaker sections. “Well, the aim is to have our party represented. The objective is to ensure that the weaker sections have their own independent political voice,” he said.
While both Congress and the ruling BJP are showering freebies on the electorate, Owaisi said that manifestos are there to keep an illusion.
“Until we make a law in the parliament that any election manifesto for the party that comes into power has legal backing, they will implement it. With all these exercises, an illusion is created in the minds of voters. And then after the election, you deceived them,” he said.
“There is a track record of manifestos, which have been talked about since Indira Gandhi was prime minister. How many of those have been implemented on the ground? None of it has been implemented. So, you can make promises, but when it comes to implementation, they lag. Nothing happens,” he said.
