New Delhi: A discussion in Lok Sabha on the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ in Ram temple at Ayodhya saw sharp exchange of words between AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and BJP MPs on Saturday.
Questioning the role of the government during the ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, Owaisi asked if it was a triumph of one religion over the other. “I believe that this country does not have a religion. Through January 22, does this government want to give a message that one religion triumphed over the other? What message do you give to the 17 crore Muslims in the country?” he asked.
He also said that there “was a riot in the country after December 6, 1992”, the day when the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished by right-wing outfits. “Governments come and go. Modi government celebrated what happened on December 6,” he said.
Chairperson Rajendra Agarwal clarified that there was no celebration commemorating the events of December 6, but rather the festival was centered around the inauguration of the Ram Temple. “You are a scholar. You have legal knowledge also. Both ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) and Supreme Court said there was a temple in which the mosque was built,” he added.
Owaisi remarked that Prime Minister Modi’s actions were conveying a message to Muslims, suggesting they must decide between their safety and seeking justice.
As the heated exchange continued, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said the chairperson should ask Owaisi if he thought Babur was an invader.
Owaisi was quick to hit back by asking if he was the spokesperson of the Mughal emperors. “Muslims in India are always asked to prove their patriotism. Am I a spokesperson of Babar, Jinnah or Aurangzeb?…I respect Lord Ram but I hate Nathuram Godse because he killed the person whose last words were ‘Hey Ram’,” he added.
Asking whether it was “the government of a particular community, religion or of the entire country,” he said the “nation does not need a Baba Modi.”
