The BJP on Sunday dubbed MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s offer of providing legal aid to five Islamic State suspects arrested in Hyderabad as “betrayal” of the country and said the proposed move will give “oxygen” to terrorists.
However, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader and Hyderabad MP hit back and wondered if the discharge of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur in the Malegaon blast case and not appealing against bail to Aseemanand in the Mecca mosque bomb blast case will not have the same result.
Commenting on Owaisi’s offer, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Hyderabad MP is “directly or indirectly helping the IS”.
BJP leader Srikant Sharma told IANS: “Helping people involved in acts of terrorism is a betrayal of the country. On the one hand, you condemn the IS and, on the other, you support those involved in such acts.”
He said the agencies concerned should decide on what all charges the MIM leader could be booked for after his offer of legal help to the IS suspects, arrested from Hyderabad.
The BJP leader also said that Owaisi’s criticism of IS is a “drama” as he does not believe in what he says.
Owaisi took to Twitter to hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“What about discharging Sadhvi, not appealing against bail to Aseemanand …, hanging J/khnd..,” tweeted Owaisi in response to BJP’s comments.
Owaisi was not available for comments.
Sources in the MIM, however, said their leader has already defended the decision to provide legal aid to the five youth.
“What is wrong in it? Even if I don’t provide legal aid, the court will appoint a lawyer for them,” the MP said on Saturday.
Owaisi pointed out that even Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged in the Mumbai terror attack case, was provided a lawyer.
The MIM leader said the families of the arrested youths told him that they are innocent. “Let the court decide if they are guilty or not,” he remarked.