Hindutva forces attacked temples in AP: Asaduddin Owaisi

KURNOOL : Alleging that Hindutva forces are behind the attacks on temples in Andhra Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday urged Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to rein in the BJP and RSS,  which are trying to spread wings in the State.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to ensure that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) gets decimated and wants to grow in AP. Jagan Mohan Reddy should tread the path of his father, former Chief Minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who dealt with the fascist and communal forces with an iron hand,’’ Owaisi said at a meeting organised in Adoni of Kurnool, where the party candidates are contesting in the municipal elections. Though Owaisi was supposed to campaign for his party candidates on Friday, the police denied permission for his meeting. 

During his address, the MIM chief launched a tirade at local YSRC MLA Y Sai Prasad Reddy accusing him of neglecting the development of Muslims and resolving their problems. He said Muslim properties in Adoni were being encroached upon and a government-sanctioned ITI college was not made operational. The vegetable market near Eidgah was being converted into a parking lot, he added. 

The MIM leader called upon the Muslims to teach a lesson to the MLA by defeating him in the next general elections and bring a MIM MLA to protect the interests of Muslims in the town. Asaduddin Owaisi also lashed out at the ruling party for trying to lure the party leaders to withdraw from the elections. “You can offer ‘gulab jamuns’ to TDP and make them withdraw, but not our leaders,’’ he said.