Will Modi stop hoisting flag at Red Fort, asks Asaduddin Owaisi

Flaying BJP leader Sangeet Som's remark that Taj Mahal was built by traitors, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday wondered if Prime Minister Narendra Modi would stop hoisting the national flag on Red Fort.

The Hyderabad MP said it was very unfortunate and shameful that a legislator who had taken oath on the constitution was speaking out of arrogance and ignorance.

"If what he says is true then why is Mr Modi going to Red Fort and hoisting national flag because Red Fort was also built by traitors," Owaisi told reporters.

He also challenged the government to ask Unesco to remove Taj from the list of world heritage sites and ask tourists coming to India to stop visiting the monument.

Owaisi said Modi should also stop hosting foreign dignitaries at Hyderabad House as this too was built by "traitors".

He said the BJP leaders were raking up such issues to divert people's attention as their government at the Centre had failed in providing jobs, tackling terrorism, failed in dealing with China and was also facing flak from common man because of demonetization and GST.

Voicing concern over the continuing attacks by "gaurakshaks" or cow vigilantes, he reiterated that Modi's statement that attacks should stop was a mere lip service.

On plans by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to install a tall statue of Sri Ram, he said this was violation of the Supreme Court judgement that public money should not be used for construction, maintenance or reconstruction of places of worship.

The MP said this was another evidence of the priorities of the UP government. He said instead of installing statues, the government should focus on supplying oxygen and providing basic facilities to government-run hospitals as the lack of the same was resulting in deaths of hundreds of children.