'Congress has a lot of money, take it from them but vote for me,' appeals Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi made a controversial statement on January 13 as he asked people to take money from the Congress but vote for him. Saying that the Congress party has a 'lot of money', Owaisi said that people should 'take the money from them', but vote for him. According to news agency ANI, Owaisi said, "People in Congress have a lot of money, take it from them. You'll be getting it due to me. Just vote for me. If they are giving you (money) then take it. I say to Congress to raise the rate, my price is not Rs 2000 only. I am worth more than that.” 

The remark is along the same lines as one made by AAP convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal while campaigning in 2017 over which he was recently pulled up by the Delhi High court.

Owaisi condemns violence in Bhainsa

Addressing a rally in Telangana's Bhainsa, Owaisi on Monday alleged workers of a fringe 'Hindu' outfit carried out "targeted violence in communally sensitive Bhainsa town where clashes broke out between two communities and demanded stern action against them. "Yesterday's incident is condemnable. I demand the CM to take action against all culprits. I also demand him to provide compensation to everyone who suffered losses. I appeal to the people of Bhainsa to maintain peace," Owaisi said. 

'We cannot accept it'

Owaisi also targeted the BJP government over the issue of National Register of Citizens. Campaigning for the upcoming municipal elections in the state, Owaisi said that Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis will suffer the most if National Register of Citizens is implemented.

"When the Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced in the Parliament, I was the one who had considered it as black law and torn a copy of the bill in the House. This law will grant citizenship based on the religion of an individual. We cannot accept it," Owaisi said at a public meeting in Medak

He advocated that people should view the newly amended citizenship law along with the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). "If NPR is implemented then NRC will also happen. NPR and NRC are twins if one of them starts the other will too. There is no difference between those two. It is not mandatory that these should be together, but they want to implement both," he said.

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Owaisi also dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce that the NRC will not be implemented as long as he is the prime minister. "He won't do it," he added. AIMIM has fielded four candidates from Medak district from ward number 7, 11, 12 and 25 for the upcoming municipal elections for which voting will take place on January 22.

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(with ANI inputs)