HYDERABAD: BJP State president K Laxman dared TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to go in for the next general elections on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Do so if you have guts,” he challenged KCR in a freewheeling chat with the TNIE team here on Tuesday.
Finding fault with the State government’s decision to adopt a resolution against the CAA in the State Legislature, a combative Laxman wanted KCR to clarify, while adopting the resolution, whether Pakistani Muslims should be included in the CAA.
He averred that if the State Legislature adopted the resolution for the withdrawal of CAA, all nationalists in the State would rally behind the BJP. Laxman further said, "If KCR is in favour of merger of Pakistan with India, I will prevail upon the BJP Central leadership to see to it that Pakistani Muslims are included in the CAA."
He alleged that the TRS was hand in glove with the MIM. The MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi was trying to divide the society on the lines of religion following in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. "The TRS chief said that Muslims are not included in the CAA and that is the reason the TRS opposed the Act. Which Muslims should be included in the CAA? The Muslims from Pakistan? No Indian Muslim is getting affected because of the CAA. We (BJP leaders) are going to conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns on the Act," Laxman said.
He alleged that MIM chief Owaisi was creating a rift between citizens in the name of religion. "Hindus are a majority in India, yet they are tolerant. We (BJP) do not want to make the country a Hindu Rashtra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wish is Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. We are not dividing the society. But Owaisi is and the TRS is supporting him. I dare the TRS government to adopt a resolution in the Legislature requesting the Centre to include Pakistani Muslims in the CAA," Laxman said.
He recalled that the first Law Minister of Pakistan, Jogendra Nath Mandal, who was a Dalit, was persecuted in Pakistan and he migrated to West Bengal where he breathed his last as a refugee. Pakistan is an outright Muslim country, he pointed out.
He also alleged that the TRS was helping the MIM in expanding its base in the State. “The MIM used to be limited to Old City of Hyderabad. But now, its candidates have won in Bhainsa, Nizamabad and Karimnagar civic bodies, thanks to the TRS. It is responsible for the growth of the MIM.