Owaisi confronts Rijiju on minority rights, clarifies demands

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday engaged in a war of words on social media, with the former slamming the BJP leader over his statement that India is the only country where the minorities get more benefits and protections than the majority community, saying minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity.

The Hyderabad MP, in a post on 'X', said, "You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. @KirenRijiju You hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity." "India’s minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages," Owaisi alleged.

The AIMIM chief attacked Rijiju on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, and asked can Muslims be members of Hindu Endowment Boards? "No. But your Waqf Amendment Act forces non-Muslims onto Waqf Boards — and allows them to form a majority." He further said the BJP-led central government "discontinued" the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, "defunded" the pre-matric scholarship and limited the post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships. "All because they benefited Muslim students," he said.

Owaisi said Muslims are now the only group whose numbers have fallen in higher education and their presence in the informal economy has gone up. "They have been among the worst-hit by your government's economic policies," he alleged.

Muslim-concentrated areas are the ones most starved of public infrastructure and basic services, he claimed.

"We are not asking to be compared with other minorities of other countries. We are not asking for more than what the majority community gets. We are demanding what the Constitution promises: social, economic, and political justice," Owaisi said.

Replying to the AIMIM president, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Rijiju in a post on 'X' said, "Ok... How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don't migrate? Prime Minister @narendramodi ji’s welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities." Hitting back, Owaisi in a social media post said, "If we don’t migrate it means we are happy. Actually, we are not in the habit of fleeing: we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during partition, and we did not run away because of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, Delhi etc massacres. Our history is proof that we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor do we hide from them.

"We know how to fight for our democratic rights and we will inshallah. Stop comparing our great nation with failed states like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan! Thank you for your attention in this matter!"