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MUZAFFARNAGAR: Uttar Pradesh chief information commissioner Hafiz Usman has landed himself in another controversy by saying that “Muslims were younger brothers of Hindus and must respect them if the family is to run smoothly”. However, he also advised Hindus to reciprocate with the same gesture. “An elder remains an elder till such time that he respects those younger to him,” he said.

In another controversy last year, Usman had raised the slogan of “Jai Shri Ram” several times while addressing the audience during a workshop on the Right to Information Act in Moradabad, where district magistrates and other officials were also in attendance.

Speaking at a private function in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday, Usman said, “I appeal to every Muslim that he must respect a Hindu because, in India, a Hindu is the elder brother while a Muslim is the younger one. And if this respect is missing, a family cannot run.”

Usman went on to tell how minorities enjoyed far more rights in India than any other country. “India is the country where we live in peace. I have visited several countries, like Saudi Arabia and UAE, where I tried to speak with local residents about their King or PM. However, no one wanted speak against the government or their PM. In India, however, you can speak about your rights and hold demonstrations,” Usman said.

On April 20, 2017, while addressing a workshop as the chief guest in Moradabad, Usman first spoke on the RTI Act before starting his speech on triple talaq and raising slogans of both “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.