Bipin Rawat's comments on Assam's AIUDF: Asaduddin Owaisi says 'it's not Army chief's job to comment on political parties'

NEW DELHI: After Army chief Bipin Rawat yesterday made lengthy negative comments about the rise of a political party in Assam, another political party's leader, Asaduddin Owaisi, said it isn't the job of the Army chief to comment on political parties.

At an event in Delhi yesterday, Rawat talked about the "faster" growth of the Badruddin Ajmal-led Muslim-oriented political party, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), in Assam. He implied that an influx of illegal Muslim migrants into the area is what has led to the growth of this party and an increase in the "Muslim population" in several districts of the state.

"There is a party called AIUDF. If you look at it, they have grown in a faster time-frame than the BJP grew over the years," said Rawat.

AIMIM's Owaisi wondered why the Army chief is making political comments. He added that democracies allow parties to be formed and expanded.

"What, the Army Chief should not interfere in political matters it is not his work to comment on the rise of a political party, democracy and the Constitution allows it and Army will always work under an elected civilian leadership," tweeted Owaisi.


Rawat also said yesterday that the influx of Muslim migrants in the northeast is part of a "proxy game" being executed by "our western neighbour (Pakistan)", with support from across the "northern border (China)", to keep the area disturbed.

Rawat added that it was no longer possible to change the population dynamics of Assam, with the Muslim majority increasing in eight districts from the earlier five. He said efforts should be made to “amalgamate” the people living in the region.