Owaisi demands action against Sanjay Raut for 'revocation of voting rights' statement

HYDERABAD: Hitting out at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for demanding revocation of voting rights of Muslims, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said on Monday that the BJP cannot dissociate itself from his statement and asked it to take action against him.

"He (Raut) has no right whatsoever to seek such a revocation of any Indian. He has no right whatsoever, leave aside Muslims," Owaisi said here.

"The real agenda of fascist Hindu forces is being exposed now. Their ideology is to promote hatred. Shiv Sena is not just an ally of BJP, but they are also sharing power. Now, does the ruling party (BJP) share the same views?" the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad sought to know.

"They (BJP) cannot disassociate saying it's an individual opinion and he (Raut) is a fringe element. They should take action. He is not a fringe element. He is the main element. When PM ( Narendra Modi) speaks at a UN forum (during his ongoing foreign visit), their ally speaks like this," he said.

Owaisi said the comments of Raut, the editor of Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', are also an embarrassment to union ministers Najma Heptulla and Muqtar Abbas Naqvi as their voting rights are also sought to be revoked if one goes by Raut's argument.

Shiv Sena had on Sunday last, courted controversy by demanding scrapping of voting rights of Muslims, saying the community has often been used for vote bank politics, evoking sharp reactions from several political parties, which accused it of trying to inflame passions and divide people.

"Vote bank politics is being played in the name of fighting against the injustice meted out to Muslims. Their educational and health status is being used politically. This politics was once played by the Congress and now every other person calls himself secular," an editorial in 'Saamana' said last Sunday.

Under attack, the Sena later sought to downplay the issue, contending that the party is against "appeasement politics".