HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday claimed that Congress leader Kamal Nath's reported comments on the Ayodhya Ram temple issue show that Congress had an equal role in the demolition of Babri Masjid as that of BJP-RSS.
He was responding to Kamal Nath's reported comments that the BJP cannot claim credit for the Ram temple at Ayodhya and that Rajiv Gandhi's role should not be forgotten.
"Kamal Nath has once again proved my point as well as that of thousands and lakhs of others that Congress had an equal role in the demolition of Babri Masjid," he told reporters here.
Owaisi said Congress was in power in Uttar Pradesh when idols were kept inside the Babri mosque.
Congress was in power both at the Centre and in UP when puja was permitted, he added.
The locks of Babri Mosque were indeed opened "by cheating" during Rajiv Gandhi's regime, he alleged.
"Kamal Nath has proved that Congress had an equal role in snatching Babri Masjid along with BJP-RSS. From (19)48-49 to December 6, 1992, Congress had equal role in demolition etc," Owaisi said, adding that he would like to ask Congress leaders why they always presented a "fake secular face" before people.
He said he would also like to ask Rahul Gandhi whether his father opened the locks of Babri Masjid when he was Prime Minister or not.
What Kamal Nath is saying is the real face of Congress, he claimed.
Given what Kamal Nath has said, Owaisi said he "hopes" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would take Rahul Gandhi along when he goes to Ayodhya in January 2024.
"Because, of the work his (Rahul Gandhi) father started, Modi ji is completing. So, the Prime Minister should take Rahul Gandhi along with him. It will be a 'Ram-Shyam' pair," he quipped.
"Rahul Gandhi, who says 'Bharat Jodo', why are you lying," he asked.