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Muslims' dream is to live as proud Indians: Owaisi

Hyderabad: Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) Asaduddin Owaisi, who is emerging as the strongest political voice for Muslims in India, has made it clear that there was no way Muslims would flee the country, but rather stay back and fight for their Constitutional rights.
"There is no question of Muslims leaving the country," Owaisi told mediapersons in Hyderabad in response to a query on the Aamir Khan episode where the popular actor said his wife Kiran Rao had spoken about the possibility of the family leaving the country on account of the "recent climate of intolerance."
Owaisi, stating that the BJP and its sister organisations had been issuing insinuating statements, said: "We are Indians not just by birth but by choice too. I want to make it clear that Muslims will not leave the country come what may. Muslim citizens in the country have been witness to several adversities including riots where thousands have lost their lives, and have also seen the demolition of Babri Masjid. Our grievances have always been against the ruling parties which failed to provide constitutional rights."
Asserting that the Muslims would continue with their struggle and fight, the MIM leader, said: "This is our country. We will not succumb to political parties which are trying to create fear. If Muslims surrender themselves to fascist forces, it would be a disservice to the freedom fighters who fought for the country. We will not disappoint those who fought the battle of 1857 or those who lost lives in Kalapani."
Stating that the Muslims' dream was to live as proud Indians, Owaisi, however, said that he "cannot speak for a film star," but can speak as a "proud Indian Muslim who not succumb to the dog whistle politics of the Sangh Parivar. "So long as planet Earth survives, Muslims will live in India as rightful citizens fighting for our due share and due position," he said, even as he pointed out that representation of Muslims in several field including politics still remains minimal.

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