Asaduddin Owaisi addresses a meeting in Gujarat
Bhuj: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday, April 23, said that India cannot become a “Vishwaguru” (guide to the world) unless Muslims in the country get justice, as he urged voters in Bhuj to strengthen political leadership within the community ahead of the local body polls.
Addressing a public meeting in Bhuj town, Owaisi said the vision of India as a global leader would remain incomplete without justice and equality for minorities.
“If this country is to become a Vishwaguru or a superpower, it cannot happen until Muslims of India get their rights,” he asserted.
He appealed to voters to support AIMIM candidates contesting in the Bhuj municipality and various taluka panchayats of the district.
“Use your precious vote to strengthen our political leadership in Bhuj, Kutch and across Gujarat,” he said.
Targeting rival parties, Owaisi alleged that both the BJP and Congress, along with the RSS, “spread lies” about AIMIM. He maintained that his party’s objective was to strengthen democracy and reinforce public faith in the Constitution.
Invoking the Constitution drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar, Owaisi said its core principles — liberty, equality, justice and fraternity — would remain “mere words on paper” unless minorities developed their own leadership.
“The Constitution gives us the right to build our political leadership. Without that, these ideals will not translate into reality,” he said.
The Hyderabad MP argued that the Muslim community, despite its significant population, had remained politically weak due to decades of voting for others.
“For 70 years, we have only been voters. Because of that, we have fallen behind in every field,” he said, pointing to lack of basic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and sanitation in Muslim-majority areas.
He urged the community to shift focus from being “mere voters” to becoming leaders and decision-makers.
“A leader will not fall from the sky. A poor man’s son or daughter from among you will rise and change the condition of the community,” he said.
Owaisi also highlighted AIMIM’s work in Hyderabad, claiming the party runs multiple educational and healthcare institutions, including hospitals and colleges, offering affordable services.
“No one handed us this on paper. People gave us power, and we built these institutions,” he said.
Countering criticism that AIMIM’s participation in elections benefits the BJP, Owaisi cited examples from Assam and Tamil Nadu to argue that his party has supported like-minded regional forces rather than weakening them.
He said AIMIM campaigned for Badruddin Ajmal’s party in Assam and extended support to the DMK in Tamil Nadu to prevent the BJP from gaining ground.
Owaisi also criticised the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that several laws enacted since 2014 were discriminatory.
“The BJP government has been in power in our country. And ever since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country, we see that a law like CAA was enacted, which talks about granting citizenship based on religion, which is against the Constitution of India,” he said.
“A flawed law like Triple Talaq was made against the Constitution. The Narendra Modi government made a strange and bizarre law; in fact, through that law, Muslim women are facing great oppression,” he added.
He also criticised provisions related to Waqf properties, alleging they could enable authorities to take control of religious sites.
“The objective is to distance Muslims from their religion and weaken their institutions,” he claimed, adding that such measures violate the spirit of Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.
Owaisi also spoke about the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), alleging that it would infringe upon religious freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution.
Recently, the Gujarat Assembly passed a Bill for implementing UCC in the state.
He claimed that under such code, Muslims would not be able to follow their personal laws in matters such as marriage and inheritance.
“If a Muslim wants to marry or distribute property, they will be told not to follow Shariat but other laws. This is a direct violation of Article 25,” he said.
He further alleged that the intent behind the UCC was to impose a uniform legal structure that disregards religious diversity. “How can you impose the laws of one religion on another? This is not equality, this is injustice,” he said.
Owaisi also criticised changes related to Waqf properties, alleging that new provisions could weaken community control over religious and charitable assets.
He claimed that under such laws, authorities could assume control over mosques, dargahs and graveyards.
“If an archaeological tag is applied, ownership shifts. If the Collector decides, even graveyards can be taken away. This is why we opposed such provisions,” he said, referring to his dissent as a member of a parliamentary panel.
“The objective is to weaken Muslim institutions and take away their places of worship,” he alleged.
“They claim to work for Muslim women, but their laws create more problems than solutions,” he said.
During his speech, Owaisi also attacked the BJP government in Gujarat and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi for the “bulldozer action”.
“I want to ask my Hindu brothers, what will you gain if Muslim houses and mosques are razed? What will you gain from our loss?” asked Owaisi.
“This country will be run by ‘Baba’s’ (Dr B R Ambedkar) Constitution, not by ‘Dada’s Bulldozer’,” he added.
“Today you are in power. But, it is a law of nature that power will not last forever. If you believe in bulldozer action, then this bulldozer will run over everyone. This is only a matter of time. Don’t be so arrogant,” Owaisi added.
Polling for the elections will be held on April 26, while counting of votes is scheduled for April 28.
The elections will cover 34 district panchayats, 260 taluka panchayats, 84 municipalities and 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot.NATIONALBHUJ
This post was last modified on April 24, 2026 8:25 am