HYDERABAD: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and BJP leader from Assam Hemanta Biswa Shama sparred over the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) on Twitter. On Wednesday, Sarma responded to one of Asad’s tweet saying, “If India does not protect Hindus who will protect them? Pakistan? India shall forever remain home for persecuted Hindus, irrespective of your opposition Sir.”
Owaisi had earlier issued a rebuttal to Sarma’s statement wherein the latter had said that the Citizenship Amendment Bill ‘is going to take care of Hindu migrants’. Owaisi had deemed it as an ‘open declaration of NRC excluding Muslims’.
On Wednesday, Owaisi tweeted, “India should protect all Indians, not Hindus. Worshippers of two-nation theory can never understand that this country is much, much bigger than one faith. Constitution says Bharat will treat all faiths, races & castes equally. This isn’t Hindu Rashtra, it never will be inshallah (sic).” “I challenge the minister of Assam or any Sangh Parivar person to show me where the mention of religion is there (in the Constitution). Citizenship is not given on the basis of religion,” he said.
“We’re a country that has welcomed many persecuted communities (Hindus & non-Hindus), they’re refugees, not potential citizens. Religion can NEVER be the basis of citizenship. Our forefathers rejected it when they drafted the Constitution & Godse’s aulaad cannot undo it so easily (sic),” he added. Asad also slammed UP government’s move to register a case against a journalist for posting a video of school children being served salt and roti as their mid-day meal.