All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin leader Akbaruddin Owaisi today hit out at Yogi Adityanath over his alleged "love jihad" comments and said that people who love cannot be called "jihadis".

"When people are in love, whatever caste they may be, it is only about love between them. How can love be equated with jihad? If you can make atrocious comments, then be prepared to hear the same degree of comments from us as well," he said while addressing a gathering of the minority community here ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, the Gorakhpur MP, had alleged "Love Jihad", a term coined by Hindutva activists to protest alleged organised conversion of Hindu girls, is an "international conspiracy" against India.

Owaisi, an MLA of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, also alleged that the Congress-led government in Maharashtra had failed to work for the welfare of Muslims and only appeased the minority community to lap up votes.

The AIMIM has 13 councillors in the Nanded municipal corporation, including a Dalit and a Maratha member.

"We have not come to Maharashtra to garner votes from Muslims like others do. Nor have we come to divide the vote share of secular parties. We have come here to ensure that Muslims get the respect they deserve," he said.

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