Owaisi seeks political equality for minorities
BETTIAH, Oct. 29 -- Describing 20-year long Nitish governance as continuation of "jungle of Lalu" rule, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday sought equality in power sharing for the minority community in Bihar and called upon Muslims populace to fight for their cause instead of being reduced to puppets into the hands of Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a constituent of Grand Alliance in the state at a public meeting in East Champaran.
Addressing a gathering at High School ground in Dhaka, while seeking votes in favour of his party nominee Rana Ranjeet, Owaisi on Tuesday took recourse to the statistics in support of unequal treatment being meted out to the members of minority community in Bihar.
"It is political bravery of the VIP party high command which made Tejashwi Yadav to accede to their demand of deputy chief minister in the event of the formation of a Grand alliance government. Why can't an Adam become a chief minister of this state, if riding of three per cent votes of Mallah, VIP can fancy the post of deputy chief minister. You constitute a population of 17 per cent and hence there is no reason why can't a son of Mohammed become chief minister," said Owaisi, referring to a poll pact, asking the Muslim community to make the use of their votes judiciously.
On October 23, in a poll pact agreed upon among mahagathbandhan constituents, it was agreed upon that Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani would be the coalition's presumptive Deputy Chief Minister for the Bihar Assembly elections.
Owaisi put the RJD, a party which has been a traditional beneficiary of Muslim votes, in dock over the allotment of seats to members of minority communities.
"Those with 14 cent vote share (reads Yadavs) in state had a claim on 36 per cent seats allotted by the RJD. And we with 17 per cent have been given the lollipops... We have thought to be fit enough for rolling carpets for these political parties... The whole malaise lies in the fact that we have been chained and shackled. We need to break this chain of slavery to weave a bright future and do justice for ourselves," said Owaisi, appealing to the minority to rise above the traditional narrow political consideration and reinvent a new role for equal power sharing in governance. During his speech, he equated the 20-year-old regime of Nitish Kumar as the continuation of the "jungle rule"brought in the state during the 15-year rule of RJD in Bihar. Bihar will vote on November 6 and 11....
To read the full article or to get the complete feed from this publication, please
Contact Us.