"You Treat Muslims Like Cattle": Asaduddin Owaisi On Mamata Banerjee

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the one who helped the BJP grow and she is also the one to use a use and throw policy with the Muslims, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi told NDTV today.  Owaisi, who has often been accused of playing the B Team of the BJP by splitting the Muslim vote, has faced similar allegations in Bengal, where he is backing Trinamool rebel Humayun Kabir. 

"We did not absolve ourselves of our 'sins' by merely waiting around to secure a Rajya Sabha seat in Bihar through an alliance with the RJD. The actual stain lay on the other side. It is Mamata Banerjee who is strengthening the BJP's position in Bengal; back in 1977, the BJP had only four MLAs," Owaisi told NDTV in an exclusive interview. 

"People are hurling abuses at us, asking, "Why are you contesting?" Yet, let someone explain: Where were they when 800,000 Muslims were deported to East Pakistan? Now, they are abusing us for choosing to contest," he said. 

"Did the Trinamool not facilitate the BJP's first parliamentary victory in 1998 and 1999? Subsequently, you (Mamata Banerjee) became the Railway Minister, only to break away later using George [Fernandes] Saab as a pretext. You then rejoined the cabinet as a Minister Without Portfolio -- and you did so precisely when the entire nation was pointing fingers at the Gujarat genocide. And now, you are pointing fingers at me," he added.

He also questioned what the Chief Minister has done for the Muslims.

"Why do you (Mamata Banerjee) not establish SEZs? You treat Muslims like cattle- like cows and buffaloes - milking them for their votes and then casting them aside," he added.

Regarding his association with Humayun Kabir, Owaisi sounded bitter as well. 

"My association with him has ended... Now Humayun claims that he stands with the Trinamool Congress. One could say he has left me in a state akin to that of Laila," he added.

Last week, Owaisi had ended his alliance with the Aam Janata Unnayan Party after a 'sting video' in which party chief Humayun Kabir is purportedly heard talking about his links with senior BJP leaders.

Kabir had dismissed the video as AI-generated.

Owaisi said he would contest independently and not have alliance with any party in the future. 

The party plans to contest nine seats in Bengal in Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum and Asansol. In 2021, they had contested six seats and bagged less than 5 per cent of the vote share.