HYDERABAD: In a controversial statement, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged people to take money from the Congress leaders and vote for his party in the upcoming municipal elections in the State.
Owaisi, who was addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy, said, “On January 22, please use your votes wisely. People in Congress have a lot of money; take it from them. You’ll be getting its worth through me. Just vote for me. If they are giving you (money), then take it. Whatever they give, take it and loot them. I ask Congress to raise their rates; my price is not just Rs 2,000. I am worth more than that.”
Owaisi contended that though the Congress leaders speak about secularism, the Sonia Gandhi-led party and the BJP were two sides of the same coin.
The Hyderabad MP also took a dig at the RSS, reminding the people that the organisation had once declared the national flag ‘inauspicious’. He said, “Isn’t it true that RSS’ mouthpiece Organiser had declared the tiranga evil and inauspicious? We had to pick up the tiranga because those who held the flag before us had the tiranga in their hands but Godse on their minds.”
Owaisi’s comments come after several political leaders criticised him for taking out rallies holding the national flag. “We had recently held a rally and a huge number of people attended it. However, when the BJP and Congress leaders saw the rally they started saying that I picked up the flag because I am scared of them,” he said.
In response to their jibes, he said, “The way you think is wrong. The baton is ours, the flag is ours and so is the nation.”