Soon after announcing that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) would field its candidates in nine constituencies for the Telangana Assembly elections, party president Asaduddin Owaisi spoke exclusively to The Hindu on a gamut of subjects. From his criticism of the Congress and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking a coalition government in the State, and of the need to adopt the “Telangana model” across India. Edited excerpts:
Q: AIMIM’s first list, comprising constituencies in Hyderabad, is out. Will we see another list of candidates that will reflect the party’s increase in footprint across Telangana given that you have a presence in local bodies?
A: We made it clear that we are going to field candidates in nine constituencies. As regards contesting 35 seats in the 2014 elections, that happened in erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh. The Election Commission had a rule that to get a common symbol, a certain number of seats should be contested. That rule has been changed now. One opinion suggested that if we have enough corporators, why don’t we contest Assembly elections? The other view was that local body elections, in comparison, are fought at a different level. The consensus that emerged was, let us focus on nine Assembly seats. Wherever we are not contesting, we will support the present Chief Minister.
Q: Is Congress the principal opposition in Telangana, given that you have primarily been criticising that party, and its leader Rahul Gandhi?
A: Rahul Gandhi suffers from political selective amnesia, and talks about money. He doesn’t remember that we supported the UPA government during the Nuclear deal, a time the Left stood with Mr.(L.K.) Advani. We supported the Congress government of Kiran Kumar Reddy when it was facing a no-confidence motion. We supported the Congress’ candidates for President of India. Sonia Gandhi called me and I assured her of my support. Was money given to me then? If everything is about money for Rahul Gandhi, then I can also ask if Mr.Modi gave him money so that Congress is reduced to 40- or 50-odd seats in 2014 and 2019 elections.
Q: Do you think there will be a fractured mandate in Telangana given that you have been cautioning the public of a possible coalition government?
A: I don’t think that there will be a fractured mandate. BRS will get a majority on its own. A coalition government is the intention of the BJP. B.L.Santhosh, who came from the RSS, said that no party would get majority. This shows the BJP’s intentions.
Q: Given an increase in Congress’ popularity, do you see a fragmentation of minority votes between BRS and Congress?
A: As far as Muslims are concerned, I don’t think that will be the scenario. People who create this argument cite Karnataka, which is different from Telangana. Unlike Karnataka, there have been no mob lynchings, beef bans or communal riots here, and women have not been stopped from wearing hijab. Telangana model which is of peace, progress, prosperity, Muslim upliftment and communal amity, should be adopted by everyone. In the last nine years, we had curfew only in Bhainsa, but overall it has been very peaceful. You have a Hindu Chief Minister whose practicing of faith is not a threat to anyone. This government has spent about ₹2,500 crore for upkeep of temples. At the same time, some 17,000 imams and muezzins are paid ₹5,000 per month.
Q: What of the allegation that the BRS and AIMIM are the other side of the BJP coin?
A: Had BJP’s pressure been here, there would have been communal riots. How is it that ₹12,000 crore have been spent on minorities in nine years? Muslims representation in Shaadi Mubarak and Kalyana Lakshmi schemes is 21.23%. In SC, ST, BC, Minorities overseas scholarship, the minority share is 47.26%. The total budget for Kalyana Lakshmi, Shaadi Mubarak, ST, SC, BC, Minorities overseas scholarship, residential schools, etc. is ₹91,000 crore, and the share of minorities 13.18%.
Q: What are your development plans for the Old City, given the Metro rail line and talk of Osmania General Hospital’s demolition?
A: Whenever the government can protect our heritage, fantastic! But people don’t understand the massive number of poor people who go to OGH from Hyderabad and south Telangana. The doctors are fantastic but they require a new hospital building. Minister K.T.Rama Rao and I have discussed plans for a metro line from Falaknuma to the airport at Shamshabad. I know that 12,000 people travel to Hi-Tech City for work, so we never opposed the metro project. The largest nala widening project has happened in Old City.
