Owaisi triggers fresh political war of words with 'BJP-PDP drama' remark

Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu D Raja said that Religion should not be made a criterion to brand people as nationalist or anti-nationalist.

NEW DELHI: After Asaduddin Owaisi blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alliance for having failed in tackling terror attacks, Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu Duraisamy Raja backed the MP from Hyderabad claiming that it is the BJP and RSS, who are questioning the patriotism of Muslims.

He further said that Religion should not be made a criterion to brand people as nationalist or anti-nationalist.

"The statement has been made in response to what BJP and RSS are saying. Because it is BJP and RSS combined which is questioning the patriotism of Muslims. Religion should not be made a criterion to brand people as nationalist or anti-nationalist," said Raja.

Earlier in the day, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh hit back at the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief holding him responsible for polarising the society.

"Owaisi has always polarised society on the basis of community. People like him are taking undue advantage of the greatness of the democracy. By speaking such things, Owaisi and others like him are weakening society and helping Pakistan, separatists, and terrorists in a way," Nirmal Singh had said.

Owaisi had on Tuesday accused the BJP-PDP government of doing drama over the terror attacks in the state. "BJP-PDP waale donon baithke malayi khaa rahe hain. Kab tak drama karte rahenge yeh log. Yeh inki nakaami hai. Ab yeh sochna hai ki inn cheezon ki responsibility kiski hogi (How long will the BJP-PDP government continue this drama? This is their failure. Now we need to think who'll take up the responsibility of these things," the Hyderabad MP had said on the recent terror attacks that have taken in the state.

On Saturday a group of terrorists attacked the residential quarter inside the Army camp at Sunjuwan in Jammu killing seven people - six soldiers, including two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and father of one of the slain soldiers - and injuring 10 others.

On Monday, an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Karan Nagar area. The encounter which began on Monday after the terrorists tried to attack a CRPF camp, ended after almost 24 hours on Tuesday.