Hyderabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president, Asaduddin Owaisi, instructed the party’s Maharashtra corporators to remain among the people and work diligently in their respective wards, a day after the party won 125 seats in municipal corporation elections in India’s richest state.
Speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday, January 17, he said that both Hindus and Dalits were also among those who won on the party’s ticket. Owaisi thanked Allah for the victory and extended his gratitude to the voters and party workers for their efforts.
The AIMIM on Friday, January 16, won 125 seats in the municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, increasing its tally significantly from the previous elections in 2017 when it has secured 81 seats. The victory, political analysts say, can be attributed to Owaisi’s door-to-door campaign in the western state.
Setting the record straight, Owaisi said that there would be no alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). His comments came after AIMIM councillors stitched together a surprising alliance with councillors from the BJP in Maharashtra’s Akot to wrest control of the municipal council there, even as it was later called off after heavy criticism.
Owaisi said that while corporators represent the party, they cannot take policy decisions, adding that only the party leadership holds that authority.
For the upcoming municipal elections in Telangana, the Hyderabad MP stated that he gave the green signal to district presidents to accept applications for party tickets.
Owaisi speaks on Telangana SIR, Iran
At Saturday’s press conference, the Hyderabad MP also spoke on other national and international issues, including the unrest in Iran and Bangladesh.
On the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral list in Telangana, the AIMIM chief announced that his party would be active during the exercise, which is expected to begin soon. The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, recently said that Telangana would soon become a “role model” for the entire country for the SIR exercise.
Owaisi also spoke about the situation in Iran. He said that the Chabahar port is important for India as it provides the country an entrance to Afghanistan and other central Asian nations. This, after India reportedly began winding down its involvement at Iran’s strategically located Chabahar port, stepping back from operational responsibilities due to the threat of renewed US sanctions.
US President Donald Trump on January 13 announced 25 per cent tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, aiming to pressure Tehran over its protest crackdown that has reportedly left over 2,700 people dead.
Regarding the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, the AIMIM president said that India shares both land and sea borders with the country, and its stability is important for the nation.
Puranapul temple vandalism
Owaisi also addressed the recent Puranapul incident where a temple was vandalised, leading to communal tension. He questioned why violence in the city often occurs during the night and stated that authorities must check this trend. He alleged that police intelligence is weak.
Emphasizing Hyderabad’s national importance, he said the city is a brand for the nation and a crucial economic hub that must be preserved.
He said that after police lathi-charged a mob who was pelting stones at Puranapul Darwaza soon after the news about the temple incident spread, a lot of innocent people became victims.
It may be noted that in the Puranapul incident, 10 people, including an inspector and a few constables, were injured in the stone pelting and several vehicles were damaged on the night of Wednesday, January 14.
Trouble started after unidentified persons tore a flexi at the Puranapul temple. Following the incident, a crowd gathered and raised slogans, triggering tension.
They attacked a nearby shrine of another community and vandalised the graves. They also damaged a religious flag. The mob set a two-wheeler afire and damaged a few other vehicles, bringing traffic to a halt at the busy intersection on the banks of the Musi river.
