Mumbai: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday launched a sharp political attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning the Sangh’s role in India’s freedom movement and accusing the ruling party of using identity politics to divert attention from governance failures.
Addressing a public rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ahead of the municipal corporation elections scheduled for January 15, Owaisi rejected claims of Bangladeshi infiltration in the region and said such allegations expose the shortcomings of the Narendra Modi-led central government.
“If there are Bangladeshis living here, then it is a failure of the Modi government. You control the borders, the police, and intelligence agencies. Then who allowed them to enter?” Owaisi asked.
Taking aim at the RSS, he questioned its contribution during the freedom struggle. “Is there a single RSS leader who went to jail fighting the British? They say Hedgewar was imprisoned, but he went to jail for supporting the Khilafat movement, not for opposing British rule,” Owaisi claimed.
He further said, “They lecture us on patriotism, but did anyone from the RSS sacrifice their life against the British? Leaders like Yusuf Meherally gave slogans like ‘Quit India’ and ‘Simon Go Back’, not the RSS.”
Owaisi accused the BJP of repeatedly raising the “Bangladeshi” issue to polarise voters. “China and even ISI have reached Bangladesh, but here BJP and RSS keep shouting ‘Bangladesh-Bangladesh’ to hide their own failures,” he alleged.
Calling for high voter participation in the civic polls, the AIMIM chief said turnout would send a strong message during the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “When people vote in large numbers, it proves their identity and their stake in democracy,” he said.
Owaisi also alleged that the Centre was misusing constitutional bodies. “The Citizenship Act clearly says citizenship matters fall under the Home Ministry, but the Modi government has pushed this responsibility onto the Election Commission,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel hit back at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s prediction that the party would be wiped out in the region. “If AIMIM gets eliminated here, I will shave my beard. But if it doesn’t happen, Eknath Shinde should be ready to do the same,” Jaleel said, throwing down a public challenge.
