BJP, Congress leaders visited temples during Gujarat polls to marginalise Muslims: Owaisi

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi attacked Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their temple visits calling it a deliberate attent at marginalisation of Muslims.

"The temple-hopping which we have seen in the Gujarat election campaign was nothing but deliberate political marginalisation of Muslims of Gujarat which is not good for our democracy and polity in the long term," Owaisi said.

He claimed that both parties avoided conversations about Muslim empowerment and their representation in the election campaign for the Gujarat Assembly election.

"Both national parties, in no way, tried to give a message that they are interested in getting Muslim votes (in Gujarat). They deliberately avoided talking about Muslim empowerment and Muslim representation, and the proof is that BJP did not give a single ticket to a Muslim. Congress gave six tickets and only three are now elected," Owaisi said.

"They might win elections like this but our democracy will lose," he added.

Attacking the BJP and Congress leaders, he said he too will go to mosques and dargahs and wear the green flag. "A precedent has been made now. One cannot stop me from doing so, given that they are also using religion as vote bank," Owaisi said.

He added, "Arun Jaitley rightly said that BJP is an original Hindu party and they will not accept a duplicate. If such talks are taking place, then no one should object when there are similar talks from the other side tomorrow."

All top leaders including Prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Congress President Rahul Gandhi made visits to numerous temples during campaigning for Gujarat elections.