Asaduddin Owaisi: Muslims denied independent political agency by major parties

The useful part

Advertisement Asaduddin Owaisi speaking at the India Today Conclave South in Kochi. Muslims to have an independent political agency, alleging that even parties that project themselves as secular lacked the "intellectual honesty" to stand up for minorities and empower them politically. advertisement ❮ ❯ Read Full Story Owaisi was responding to a question on whether India was doing enough to safeguard the interests of minorities.

How it works

• "The other so-called secular parties have reduced Muslims to mere voters and showboys," he said.
• There are other political parties which claim to be secular, [but] do not show their intellectual honesty.
• "The parties that call themselves secular do not show the intellectual honesty to stand with minorities and empower them," Owaisi said.
• He said the country's founding fathers had envisaged a constitutional order in which the state would not have a religion and all citizens would enjoy equal rights.
• The parties which have governed India completely marginalised us politically, disempowered us, did not allow us to grow and denied us political justice," he alleged.

What to take from it

Owaisi said the problem of Muslim political marginalisation could not be attributed to a single government or party, arguing that successive governments had failed to ensure substantive representation for the community. Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at BJP, Congress Asaduddin Owaisi argued Muslims had often been compelled to vote for established parties as the 'lesser of two evils' because they lacked a viable political alternative that could independently represent their interests. "From Nehru to Modi, Muslims have been made mere voters, not equal stakeholders," he argued.

Example or evidence

• advertisement He argued that the absence of viable alternatives had compelled Muslims to choose between established political parties instead of being able to build and support independent political platforms.
• Where is my political agency?" Owaisi asked, pointing out that several other social groups had succeeded in developing political leadership and institutions of representation, while Muslims had been denied...
• "Why have you not created that political agency when Brahmins have it, Thakurs have it, Nairs have it, you name any community.
• Even the Dalits have, but Muslims have been said no." The AIMIM chief argued that Muslims were instead expected to participate in elections primarily as a voting bloc without having an independent say in...

Details worth keeping

"The founding fathers gave us the Constitution. Fundamental rights were given, equality was given. "The representation of Muslims in the Indian Parliament is 4 per cent.

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