‘Unholy intentions’: AIMIM chief Owaisi accuses Modi govt of ‘snatching away’ Waqf properties

Kishanganj: Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government on Wednesday, alleging that the recently introduced Waqf (Amendment) Act was designed to seize mosques and other Muslim religious sites.

The Hyderabad MP made the remarks while addressing a rally in Bihar’s Kishanganj district during the launch of the party’s Seemanchal Nyay Yatra, a three-day campaign aimed at strengthening AIMIM’s presence in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

What did Owaisi say about the Waqf (Amendment) act?

Owaisi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of acting with ulterior motives through the new legislation.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the Waqf Bill, not with any bona fide intentions, but to snatch away masjids, idgahs and qabristans. He did not realise that these properties belonged to Allah and no one else," Owaisi told the rally in Kochadhaman assembly segment.

He added that such attempts would fail, "God willing, Modi will never succeed in his unholy intentions (naapaak mansube). Muslims will continue to offer prayers at their mosques till the world exists. Places considered holy by the believers in Allah will not fall into the hands of BJP-RSS," he said.

Criticism of opposition parties

Owaisi also used the rally to criticise traditional opposition parties in Bihar, including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian National Congress, and the Left parties. Without naming them directly, he suggested they had failed to deliver on promises to protect Muslim interests.

"Since Independence, Muslims of the country have been supporting a party that claimed to be secular," Owaisi said. "For long, our votes have been sought in the name of stopping the BJP from coming to power. But the time has come for us to realise that we cannot indefinitely carry this burden on our shoulders like coolies."

‘Muslims must focus on their own future’

The AIMIM chief urged the community to prioritise its own development and aspirations rather than being used as a vote bank.

"We must pay attention to the desolation felt by our youth. We need to do what is essential for our well-being. We shall no longer sacrifice our aspirations to help some parties enjoy power," he added.

Owaisi’s fiery speech marks the beginning of AIMIM’s push to consolidate support in Seemanchal, a politically significant region ahead of the state elections.

PTI inputs