'Deliberate, Systemic Marginalization of Muslims Going on in India': AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Kishanganj district of Bihar's Seemanchal where he is on a whirlwind tour, Owaisi said that "secular parties" like the RJD were responsible for the lack of development in Seemanchal adding such parties were responsible for the BJP coming to power in Bihar.

Kishanganj: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said that there was a “deliberate systemic marginalization” of Muslims going on in India. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of his visit to Kishanganj during his whirlwind tour to Bihar's Seemanchal region on Saturday, Feb 17, Owaisi said, “There is a deliberate systemic marginalization of Muslims, the largest minority in India, going on in the country.

All the secular parties who take votes of the people of Seemanchal, but forget them later on, are complicit in this,” Owaisi said while hitting out at the PM Modi led BJP government at the Centre, the RJD and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led JD (U).

Over a question on Tejashwi Yadav skipping Kishanganj in his yatra, Owaisi said, “ How will he come here? He lied to the people of Kishanganj with the false promise of setting up the Seemanchal Development Board. After making the promise, they forgot it later”. The AIMIM chief said that the RJD and other parties “have paved the way for the RSS government in Bihar” while referring to the formation of a BJP-supported coalition government recently.

“They have been pointing fingers at me, but due to the blunders of these parties, the BJP came to power in Bihar,” Owaisi said while targeting opponents labeling AIMIM 'B team of BJP'. Over a question on how many seats AIMIM will contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Owaisi said, “We contested from the lone seat of Kishanganj in the last elections. But our state chief Akhtar ul Iman has suggested expanding the base beyond Kishanganj,” Owaisi said.

The AIMIM chief hinted that the party may contest on three to four more seats in Bihar in the general elections in consultation with the local leadership. Meanwhile, the AIMIM chief targeted the successive governments in Bihar for delaying funds to the regional Centre of the Aligarh Muslim University. He demanded the release of AMU funds from the Central Government saying that AMU centre will not only benefit Seemanchal but the youth of entire Bihar.