Owaisi criticizes BJP for allowing India-Pakistan cricket match after terror attack, questioning priorities and patriotism

Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the BJP government for not halting the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan despite the terror attack and killing of civilians in Pahalgam.

Mr. Owaisi was addressing the Jalsa Rahmatul-lil-Alameen public meeting in Darussalaam on the intervening night of September 13 and 14, where he accused the BJP of putting commercial gain over national interest.

Mr. Owaisi sought to know on what grounds the cricket match against Pakistan was being permitted when terrorists had singled out victims in Pahalgam based on religion and shot them dead. “If your daughter were killed would you still play? How much revenue will come ₹600 crore or ₹700 crore? Even if it is ₹2,000 crore, is the money more precious than the lives of 26 Indian citizens?” he asked. He said the BJP has been making tall claims of patriotism but was “being run out and stumped” when it came to the cricket match.

Terming Pakistan a “failed state”, and continuing his relentless criticism of the government’s decision, he said, “Despite the 56-inch chest of the Prime Minister, the match is being played. No problem if we had not won a trophy. If cricket is bilateral, then even water is bilateral. When we have blocked water under the Indus treaty, how are we playing cricket?”

The Hyderabad parliamentarian also lashed out against the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and maintained that that recent demolitions were targeting Muslims. He listed instances in Bilasipura, Golpara and Haseela Beel where, according to him, thousands of homes were razed. He objected to the new procedures for the sale and buying of land parcels.

Mr Owaisi, who is the president of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, criticised Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that the organisation would not be involved in Kashi and Mathura, but “companions” could go ahead. “Then what is the Places of Act Worship Act for? Are you issuing a threat that December 6 will be repeated?” he asked.

He also spoke about incidents in Khandwa, where a case was filed after a Bihari man got a job in a Masjid in Madhya Pradesh. Referring to Article 19, he said it was the fundamental right to livelihood.

Turning to Manipur, Mr. Owaisi said that the Prime Minister had done too little, too late for visiting the violence-hit State two years after violence had broken out. “Bohot dair kar di meherbaan aate aatey. Hundreds of women were raped. He thought of them two years later.,” he said.

He criticised Mr. Modi’s recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation visit and maintained that China continued to occupy 2,000 sq km of Indian territory in Demchok and Depsang, and asked whether the Prime Minister’s meetings with Xi Jinping had secured its return. He said Beijing had fully supported Pakistan with aircraft and satellite technology in the recent conflict.

Mr. Owaisi also referred to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he had stopped the war. “This man has said it 30 times. At least stop him from saying this. But Modiji is silent,” he remarked, adding that these were the outcomes of the BJP’s failures.

The Hyderabad parliamentarian expressed anguish over what he said was a genocide in Gaza. He urged Prime Minister Modi to do more to stop the killing of Palestinians.