By Mohammed Siddique,
Hyderabad,July 20, Giving a glimmer of hope to the beleaguered ruling UPA at the canter, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader and member of Lok Sabha Asaduddin Owaisi announced his support to the Manmohan Singh government in Monday’s trust vote.
He told a media conference in Hyderabad that though his party has strong reservations about the Indo US Nuclear agreement and its impact on country’s foreign policy, the immediate and top priority for the MIM was to stop the BJP and LK Advani from coming in to power. “we have seen what happened during the previous NDA government specially to the Muslims. We don’t want to see the same thing happening again”, he said referring to the Gujrat pogrom and misuse of POTA act.
Owaisi, who represents Hyderabad in Lok Sabha, announced the decision after meeting the Prime Minister Mamohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to seek assurances on foreign policy and Mulim issues.
“The Prime Minister categorically assured me that there will be no compromise on foreign policy. He told me it would be unworthy of him if he compromises as Prime Minister of this great nation as far as foreign policy was concerned”, he said. Owaisi said that the Prime Minister also assured him that the government will go ahead with the Iran gas pipeline and he was strongly opposed to any military action against Iran as it will be disastrous for India too.
“We will express our reservations on foreign policy impact but at no cost we would like to see BJP coming in to power, at no cost we would like to see Mr Advani, who is an accused in Babri Masjid demolition case becoming the Prime Minister of this great nation, thereby destroying the future of Muslims and weakening the secularism”, he said.
He also lashed out at the left parties specially the CPIM saying the BJP and the CPIM were the two sides of the same coin.
“BJP is an open enemy of secularism and Muslims and CPIM’s hatred is shrouded in its ideology. That is the only difference”, he said. “We feel Advani is number one enemy and Prakash Karat is second. Bush is there but as far as I am concerned my immediate adversary, the person who is against my identity is Mr Advani and how do I stop him”.
Asad Owaisi said that the MIM was with the UPA since Manmohan Singh government came in to power in 2004 and was satisfied with he measures it took for the welfare of minorities, specially the Muslims.
He said that the party had taken note steps like giving exgratia to the victims of riots in Gujrat and Bhagalpur, creation of national commission for minority education, and increasing minority budget from Rs 500 to Rs 1000 crore.
He said that the Prime Minister also assured him to look in to the implementation of Fatimi sub committee report on follow up action to the Sachar committee report. “It will bring Rs 5000 crore benefit to the Muslim community, specially in elementary education”, he said.
He rejected the claim of the CPIM leaders and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati that the Muslims were against the deal. “they are trying to communlaize the deal”, he said.
He also brushed aside the rumours that MP’s were being bought for Rs 25 crore. “I am not so cheap to be sold for Rs 25 crore. We have got Rs 5000 crore for the Muslims”, he said.
End.