Owaisi said that Congress has moved from 'soft Hindutva' and is following Hindutva propagated by the BJP. (Photo: Getty Images)

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi in a candid interview on AajTak's flagship program Seedhi Baat said that the Congress has moved on from 'soft Hindutva'.

Owaisi said that the Congress is now following the Hindutva propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The AIMIM chief targeted the BJP for not giving tickets to Muslim candidates. He said that BJP did not give tickets to Muslim candidates in both Gujarat and Karnataka. Owaisi also slammed Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for falsely claiming to be working for the welfare of Muslims in the country.

According to Owaisi, political representation offers multiple avenues for development. Owaisi claimed that the BJP has been putting Muslims on the margin while asserting that the Congress has eventually adopted the BJP's brand of Hindutva.

When asked about him asking Muslims to vote for Muslim candidates, Owaisi said that his words were being misconstrued. The AIMIM leader said that he never said anything like that adding that it was an address that he made to the workers of his party.

Owaisi said that he has been encouraging Muslims to join politics all the while lamenting the less number of tickets given to them. "To strengthen politics it is necessary to take part in it," he said.

ON BHARAT MATA KI JAI

Owaisi said that no one should be forced to say 'Bharat mata ki jai'. However, the AMIM leader said that if there was a law that required doing so, he would oblige.

He said that the Constitution has given freedom of speech and hence no one can force him. Owaisi said that this cannot be done to determine someone's nationality or patriotism.

Owaisi said that he takes pride in saying 'Jai Hind'. He substantiated his claim by adding that the two words were spoken even before freedom struggle. He said that what he did how he lived, how he spoke - all were under right to privacy.

SECULARISM ABUSED

While talking about national anthem and national song, Owaisi said that the two should not be replaced. The Hyderabad MP said that secularism has become an expletive and is often misused. Anti-national is also a convenient abuse, he said.

"I have always raised my voice for the country, but if you say that speaking against Modi is against the country then I do not believe it," said Owaisi.

When asked if Muslims will be a roadblock for PM Modi in 2019, Owaisi remarked that the Muslims have always been run over. He said that the nation needs to decide if it wants to vote Narendra Modi who failed to deliver on the promise of jobs to youths.

Owaisi slammed the Modi government saying that NDA has failed on several issues including national security and inflation. He said that an atmosphere of hatred has been created against minorities.

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