BJP’s ‘illegal migrants’ cover blown after SIR draft roll publication in Telangana: Owaisi | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday criticised the BJP over its claims of illegal immigrants being included in electoral rolls, saying the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had caused considerable hardship to poor people, particularly daily wage earners.Referring to Hyderabad district election officer RV Karnan’s statement that no foreign nationals or illegal migrants were found in the draft electoral rolls after the revision exercise, Owaisi said the finding had exposed the claims repeatedly made by BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders. He said thousands of people had been forced to undergo verification, losing at least two days’ wages to furnish documents and complete enrolment formalities.Owaisi also criticised the Centre’s reported move to remove the Qadeemi Masjid located within the Krishi Bhavan complex in New Delhi as part of the Common Central Secretariat redevelopment under the Central Vista project. He pointed out that the Centre had informed the Delhi High Court that the mosque was incompatible with the secular character of govt property and therefore needed to be removed.Questioning the Centre’s stand, Owaisi said the Central Vista project itself had been inaugurated with a Bhoomi Pooja, but the govt was objecting to a mosque that had existed even before 1912. He urged Union Minority Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju to intervene and recognise the historical and legal status of the mosque.On the political aspirations of Muslims, Owaisi said the community should no longer allow itself to be intimidated by the RSS and should work towards developing its own political leadership.Referring to Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan, where he became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, Owaisi said the achievement should inspire Muslims in India to strengthen their political identity.