Asaduddin Owaisi said "the cow is a sacred animal for our Hindu brothers"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment on some people "getting a shock" at the mention of words like "Om" or "cow" provoked a retort from Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday.

"The cow is a sacred animal for our Hindu brothers but in the Constitution, the right to life and equality has been given to humans, I hope the PM will keep it in mind," said Mr Owaisi, the chief of the All India Majlis e-Ittehadul Muslameen (AIMIM).

Earlier, PM Modi had said at a function in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, "Some people, if they hear words like 'gaaye' (cow) and Om, their hair stands on end. They feel that the country has gone back to the 16th century. Can one talk about rural economy without animals?"

PM Modi made the remarks while launching the National animal disease Control programme that aims at removing diseases that affect livestock.