Though new to politics, BJP candidate Madhavi Latha is hopeful of securing the Hyderabad seat because she believes that she has the vision to develop the constituency, which according to her, suffered due to the indifferent attitude of AIMIM leaders. In an exclusive interview with TNIE’s Ajay Tomar, she credits Asaduddin Owaisi’s victories in the past elections to fear factor.
Excerpts:
You are making your political debut and straightaway entering the electoral fray.
It’s definitely my debut when it comes to politics. But the fact is I have been working as a social worker. I have been a dynamic leader from my childhood and student days. Politics has now provided me the opportunity to be known across the country. I am looking at it (elections) as a great opportunity to transform the Hyderabad segment, which is backward even after 75 years of Independence.
What are the issues you want to highlight, which you believe four-time MP Asaduddin Owaisi wasn’t able to solve?
Every constituency witnesses development over a period of time. If they are underdeveloped, either it has to be a tribal or a remote area/village. Have you ever heard of a segment that is in the heart of a capital city that is known for IT sector, history, heritage, pharmaceutical and biotech hub but in such bad shape? This segment is so backward that the cost of land here is eight times lower than in other segments not far from here.
People complain about lack of infrastructure in the Old City. Despite these drawbacks, Owaisi continues to enjoy considerable following. How do you plan to overcome this and win?
When they (people) see a camera, they will never speak openly. Till now, the main factor behind the AIMIM’s victories is fear. Owaisi has seven MLAs. He himself is an MP. He says that he is the messiah of the Muslims. But he needs to protect their lands. Without his ‘participation’, how can 12,000 acres of Waqf land be encroached? A common man won’t dare to say this on camera. Some social activists who have been put behind bars for raising these issues.
What do you have to say about the controversy after you shot an imaginary arrow at a mosque during Rama Navami procession?
This man (Owaisi) has no manifesto. In the last 40 years, did anyone hear about the AIMIM manifesto? His manifesto is just eat beef and talk about imaginary arrows. Even during Hanuman Jayanti, I shot an imaginary arrow in the air with Lord Hanuman as well as a bank building in front of me. Does this mean I am shooting at Lord Hanuman or the bank? Owaisi is raking this up because as a parliamentarian for two decades, he does not have any development to show or ideas to talk about.
What is your vision for development of the segment?
First and foremost, parity with neighbourhood. Hyderabad has to witness the same development and progress as that of the adjoining constituencies of Malkajgiri, Chevella and Secunderabad. It is deprived of such progress. There is garbage all over the place, overflowing drainage, drainage water mixing with drinking water. There are two-foot lanes with houses on both the sides, which are very small. Whenever it rains, the water flows into the houses. Roads are often dug up but problems are never solved. We also need to establish more government schools. The health facilities are very bad. There are not enough basti health clinics. Women are not educated. They need to be made independent.
There is a lot of enthusiasm among people over the proposal to introduce Metro services in the Old City. Your thoughts?
The government announced its decision just before polls. Till now, it has been constructing Metro stations only on big roads. While doing this, they are just trying to protect the properties of AIMIM leaders. If the pillars are erected as per the rules, a lot of AIMIM associates’ buildings will be demolished. Just to protect them, the Telangana government and GHMC have compromised and demolished 300 year-old temples and houses of Hindus.
The GHMC has deleted names of 5.5 lakh bogus voters. Though you demanded the same earlier, you are now raising some concerns.
Till we see the final voters list on April 25, we won’t know many such votes have been deleted. Ultimately, the state government and the GHMC needs to remove bogus votes. When the model code of conduct is in force, the state government works under the ECI. But before and after that period, if ECI can understand this, I am sure justice would be done to us. Until the poll body ensures that the number of names deleted by the GHMC matches with the data provided by us, I don’t think justice will be done. The issue is about dependency of ECI on local teams, which for a short period work under the commission. The ECI has to understand that the local teams stay loyal to the state government, so they will never be loyal to it.
Why should the community that is dominant in the Hyderabad vote for you?
Because they have to realise that they are Indians first. Then comes the state, then Hyderabad, then male or a female and then they are Hindus or Muslims. Religion is a personal matter. It should not come in the way of constituency’s development.
