Bihar elections: Owaisi's fiery speeches on core issues grabs limelight

In this article, Bihar Bureau Chief Amit Bhelari talks about how AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi is banking on CAA, NRC, unemployment issues and giving fiery speeches to woo the voters. Owaisi has hit out at every political party, accusing them of indulging in politics to promote personal gains rather than focussing on real issues.

Patna: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi is leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters in this Bihar election. Owaisi's party won Kishanganj Assembly constituency in the 2019 bypolls, giving its first berth in the Bihar Assembly.

AIMIM Chief is banking on anti-CAA, NRC issues and is giving fiery speeches in his rally. Having chalked out a good strategy for the elections, keeping in mind his vote bank, Owaisi's speeches focus on national and local issues, thus connecting with the audience.

The leader has even hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinting that the BJP is ready to join hands with JD(U) or LJP.

Owaisi's party AIMIM is contesting the election under a banner of Great Democratic Secular Front (GDSF). GDSF is a coalition of six political parties of which RLSP supremo Upendra Kushwaha has been projected as chief minister candidate.

He is giving aggressive and fiery speeches where there is a stronghold of Muslim voters mainly in Seemanchal belt which includes Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria and Katihar. Owaisi's speeches revolve around issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and NRC (National Register for Citizenship).

In his speeches, he is trying to convince his Muslim voters to remain united and fight against these issues by calling them 'undemocratic' and 'unconstitutional'.

“CAA and NCR are two such bills which have been formulated on the basis of religion. These two bills are against the spirit of the constitution and also against the ideology of Gandhi and Ambedkar. Why do RJD and Congress leaders never speak against NRC and CAA,” Owaisi roared in a rally at Jokihat in Araria district while campaigning in support of his candidate Shahanwaz Alam, youngest son of senior RJD leader, late Mohammad Taslimmudin, who is also known as Gandhi of Seemanchal.

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In every rally, he is asserting that due to CAA and NRC people of Seemanchal belt are being allegedly called intruders.

Apart from NRC and CAA his agenda also includes the issue of Galwan valley where Indian soldiers were martyred. He has posed questions to PM Modi to take revenge from China, alleging that he is giving shelter to Chinese troops in India.

He is raising these issues in most of his rallies, apart from attacking the regime of both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. Being a seasoned politician he is very choosy in delivering his speeches and makes the changes depending upon the constituency.

While addressing a rally at Nathnagar assembly constituency in Bhagalpur he reminded the people of Bhagalpur riots. He reminded his supporters that the then Congress government did nothing when the poor weavers were massacred. He also reminded people of how Lalu Prasad supported the riots accused.

“The people of Bhagalpur have not forgotten what happened during the riots and how our brothers and sisters were gutted. The dead bodies were scattered in farming fields. You have given a chance to both Lalu and Nitish but now you have an alternative to replace them – Upendra Kushwaha,” Owaisi said.

While addressing the youths, he is also raising the issue of unemployment and poverty in Bihar asking them to bring a change. Besides this, he is also connecting people with local issues.

At Kochadhaman assembly constituency in Kishanganj, Owaisi stressed that the Seemanchal region will develop more if air service will start from Purnea. At present, Purnea airport is used as an Indian Air Force base.

Owaisi also pointed out that there was a great need of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Kishanganj and development can never take place without it in the region.

In 2013, the UPA government had approved AMU but still, the centre is functioning from a temporary building as it faces the fund crunch.

If he raised the issue of AMU in Kishanganj, he raised the issue of closed rice mills in Bhabua of Kaimur district as Sahabad considered Dhaan Ka Katora (rice bowl) of Bihar.

He is also not missing the opportunity to attack the Nitish government. While campaigning in Banka, Owaisi alleged that corruption has reached its peak in the regime of Nitish and no work is done without offering bribes in government offices.

Owaisi is also trying to pitch his ideology in his rallies that the Prime Minister will appoint the chief minister of Bihar from BJP and will send Nitish to a retirement home.

It would be interesting to see what would be the impact on results the way he has raised the selective issues during the poll. However, both ruling and opposition have termed him Votekatua (vote splitter).

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