Asaduddin Owaisi rejects Z category security, urges govt to end radicalisation

"I don't fear death. I don't want Z category security, I reject it; make me an 'A' category citizen. I'll not remain silent," Lok Sabha MP Owaisi said, while speaking on the floor of the House, on Friday

Pic courtesy: ANI

AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday (February 4) rejected Z category security after his vehicle was attacked, and demanded that the shooters be charged with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), while urging that the government should end the politics of hate.

"I don't fear death. I don't want Z category security, I reject it; make me an 'A' category citizen. I'll not remain silent. Please do justice... charge them (shooters) with UAPA... I appeal to the government to end hate, radicalization," Owaisi said.

On February 7, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will give a detailed reply in Parliament on the incident of firing on the AIMIM chief's car in Uttar Pradesh, ANI reported.

Meanwhile in Hyderabad, security was deployed as a large number of people including AIMIM supporters staged a protest at Charminar, condemning the attack on Owaisi. Traders in the old city voluntarily observed a shutdown as a mark of protest over the attack on Owaisi. The usually busy markets around Charminar wore a deserted look. Traders put up black flags to condemn the attack. Security was also beefed up at other places in the old city of Hyderabad and other towns in Telangana to maintain law and order.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s vehicle was fired upon in Uttar Pradesh yesterday (February 3). Following the attack on Owaisi's convoy in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, the Central Government had reviewed the security of the AIMIM chief and provided him with Z security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with immediate effect, said sources earlier on Friday.

Two men have been arrested allegedly for firing at the AIMIM president's convoy when he was leaving Meerut's Kithoudh area for Delhi after poll campaigning, police informed said. 

Akbaruddin Owaisi, brother of Asaduddin, also reached Delhi late Thursday night. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh's Meerut for campaigning on Thursday. The Uttar Pradesh assembly election for the 403 assembly seats would be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.