Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Staff Reporter

BJP supporting Nupur, says Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was supporting and protecting its former national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and said that it was possible that she would resurface in the future as her party’s Delhi chief ministerial candidate.

Mr Owaisi was speaking at the Azmat-e-Mustafa public meeting in Darussalaam where he also criticised youths frequenting pubs and later indulging in sexual assault. He also urged people of different communities to read sincerely about Prophet Muhammad, who resides in the hearts of 20 crore Muslims, and his family.

“I am certain that Nupur Sharma will reappear after six or seven months. It is possible that she will be made Delhi chief ministerial candidate, like a big leader. This is the truth of our country. Those who vilify Muslims, they have a bright future and are given important posts,” he said.

Mr Owaisi said that the Commissioner of Police and the Chief Minister should make efforts to arrest Ms Sharma. “What will happen only if an FIR is registered? At least say you will do something,” Mr Owaisi said.

Mr Owaisi listed a series of events in which people were arrested for allegedly disrespecting or seeking accountability from politicians, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and asked why those disrespecting Prophet Muhammad were not arrested.

The Hyderabad parliamentarian, in a sarcastic manner, spoke about Abbas, the friend the Prime Minister reportedly made a mention of in a blog. “If there is an Abbas, we request the Prime Minister to call him and make him listen to the speeches of Asaduddin Owaisi and the religious scholars have made here. Then ask him whether we are saying the truth or not. If in his heart Abbas has the love of Abbas Alambardar, then he will say that we are speaking the truth,” he said, demanding that Ms Sharma be arrested, and action taken against her as per Indian laws and the Constitution.

Mr Owaisi also criticised what he described as differently protesters were being treated by the police. “I want to ask the Police Commissioner of Varanasi, when he told the media “these are our children and we will talk to them”. Were the Muslim youths not “your children”, Mr CP? Will you not call them and explain to them that they should not have become violent and that you should have complained to you? You will not say that,” he said, pointing out that Muslims, and all other communities, belong to the country. “How long will you use this language?”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.