HYDERABAD: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed Muslim clerics for making remarks in support of the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Owaisi said that they “didn’t care” while the country was protesting against CAA and the proposed all-India National Register of Citizens (NRC). He also condemned the nationwide violence and emphasised the protesters to be peaceful.
Speaking to mediapersons, Owaisi said, “Let them talk. How does it matter? The country is going one way, all the students are protesting, people are dying and a student lost his eye. Everyone is frustrated with CAA and NRC and these people don’t care. Let them (clerics) be in delusion.”
His comments came as he convened a meeting of the United Muslim Action Committee on Friday where several Muslim organisations including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and others were present.
At the meeting, which was called to discuss a strategy against the CAA and NRC, Owaisi said, “We have to oppose this Act strongly, but only after taking police permission and peacefully."
“As you know in Lucknow and Delhi, there was police brutality and violence; in Mangaluru, two Muslims died. If there is violence, then we will condemn and disassociate ourselves from it,” he added.
He is also mulling over organising more protests against across Telangana. However, he again stressed on the protests to be peaceful.
His comments against clergy drew ire from Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi, head of the National Commission for Minorities. He compared Owaisi to Muhammad Ali Jinnah.