HYDERABAD: A day after reports emerged that an undertrial belonging to a minority community in Tihar jail was branded with an “Om” symbol on his back, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said that it was a ‘dehumanising’ act and akin to treating someone as cattle.
The AIMIM chief said: “Everyday, a more innovative way is developed to humiliate us. To brand someone like cattle is cruel, unusual & dehumanising. We’re not chattel, we’re HUMAN. (Let’s not pretend there’s any other reason why Nabbir was branded with this specific symbol)”
On Friday, reports surfaced that Nabbir, an undertrial prisoner at Tihar jail, was branded with an “Om” symbol and was not fed for two days from April 12. He alleged that the jail superintendent Rajesh Chauhan treated him inhumanely. Later in the day, a Delhi court called for an enquiry into the matter.
Owaisi, meanwhile, also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi who during an interview to a TV news channel defended the BJP’s move to appoint Sadhvi Pragya as the MP candidate from Bhopal.