‘BJP doesn’t want peace…’: Owaisi hits out over Raja Singh arrest
BJP MLA Raja Singh was arrested earlier today and booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion).
All India Majlis-e-Itehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday amid the row over the arrest and suspension of its Telangana MLA T Raja Singh hours after he allegedly made derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammad and sparked protests in Hyderabad.
“I condemn the comments made by BJP MLA… BJP doesn’t want to see peace in Hyderabad. BJP hates Prophet Muhammad and Muslims. They want to destroy the social fabric of India,” Owaisi was quoted by news agency ANI.
“Fight with us politically… but not like this. If prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP don’t support these comments then they should react. I also condemn the slogans (Sar Tan Se Juda) that were raised and will say to those people to not take law in their hands.”
The BJP leader’s comments about the Prophet triggered protests from workers of the AIMIM, who staged a sit-in in front of the Hyderabad police chief’s office and called for his arrest. Police detained some protestors as they tried to barge into the commissioner’s office
Activist Wajihudiddin Salman said Singh had used vulgar language against the Prophet in a video uploaded on YouTube Monday. The video was later removed.
Raja Singh is often in the news for inflammatory speeches.
Earlier he also threatened to attack stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui if the Telangana government allowed him to perform in Hyderabad. “Wherever the programme is held, we shall beat him up. Whoever offers him a venue, we shall set it afire,” he said in a widely shared video.
Raja Singh’s comments about the Prophet come after similarly incendiary remarks by other BJP members – suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma among them – triggered a furious row that also prompted Muslim-majority nations to denounce the comments.
