THE Shiv Sena said on Sunday that the voting rights of Muslims should be “revoked” as the community has often been used for “vote bank politics”. The controversial remark drew sharp criticism from other parties, including ally BJP.
“If Muslims are only being used.. to play politics, they can never develop. Muslims will have no future till they are used for vote bank politics… Balasaheb (Thackeray) had once said voting rights of Muslims should be withdrawn. What he said is right,” said an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.
Targeting the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen, the party said the Owaisi brothers were like “poisonous snakes” who spew venom to “exploit” the minority community.
“Owaisi and his party are like a snake which, if fed, will do no good to the nation. AIMIM is an old snake,” it said. “AIMIM is trying to show they are fighting for the rights of Muslims… It is identical to what Congress did with Muslims to get votes… But in reality, Muslims are being exploited for votes,” said the editorial.
Taking a dig at AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for daring Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to come to Hyderabad, the editorial said, “Owaisi dares us to come to Hyderabad. But we want to ask him if Hyderabad is in India or in Lahore, Karachi or Peshawar. The pride of Marathis is known in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kandahar as well.”
Condemning the remarks, senior BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said: “The Indian Constitution has given every citizen, irrespective of his/ her caste, community or religion, the right to vote. So nobody can deny anyone voting rights in this country. Those who express such views are blatantly violating the Indian Constitution. Strict action should be taken against them for such remarks.”
Indian Express
