'Opposition competing with PM Modi to be better Hindu': AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Image Credit: ANI; Representational Image

Ahmedabad: The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday came down heavily on the Congress and other Opposition parties, accusing them of `fighting hate with hate`, thereby resulting in BJP winning elections.Speakng to ANI, Owaisi said "The Delhi chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) said on a news channel that he believes in Hindutva. So, I want to ask him, does he not believe in the Constitution?""The entire Opposition today seems to be in a competition on who is a better `Hindu` than (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. Whether it is the Delhi CM or a Congress leader (Rahul Gandhi), who is marching across the country, or the SP or the RJD. 

They are trying to fight hate to hate, which is why the BJP is winning every election," the AIMIM chief said.Invoking Rahul Gandhi`s recent statement on why the BJP chants `Jai Shri Ram`, and not `Jai Siya Ram`, Owaisi said it was normal for the Congress to make such statements."I am not surprised by Rahul`s statement. When Babri Masjid was forced open, Rahul`s father Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister. When the idols were kept inside the mosque in 1948--49, Nehru was the PM and when the Babri Masjid was `massacred`, PV Narasimha Rao was the PM. So, it is natural for the Congress to make such statements," he said.

On why the AIMIM was seemingly facing resistance from the public in Gujarat, with black flags shown to him, the Hyderabad MP said, "Both the BJP and the Congress show black flags to me, thinking that I would back out. But, I did not, even after going to jail and facing bullets.""Congress (Gujarat Asembly poll) candidates are telling me that their own leader has run away, leaving them in the lurch. So, what are they supposed to do now?" the AIMIM chief added.He further informed that the party was only contesting 13 seats in the Gujarat Assembly elections.

"We are fighting only for 13 seats in the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha and our focus is on winning those seats. We are not bothered about what`s happening in other areas. People gave a very positive response during our campaigning and we are hopeful of winning these seats," he said.The first phase of polling for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly was held on December 1 and the seond and final phase is scheduled on December 1.The first phase saw an overall turnout of over 60 per cent.The counting of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, which polled earlier on November 12, will take place on December 8.