Owaisi mocks 'nimbu placed before Rafale'; says they're 'from Paris'

Slamming the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's puja ceremony during the handing over of India's first Rafale jet, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, has questioned why two 'nimbus' (lemons) were placed beneath the aircraft wheels, while addressing a rally in Parabhani, Maharashtra. As part of the Shastra Puja, when Rajnath Singh placed two lemons, Owaisi has pointed out those were Paris' lemons, not Indian. He questioned that if the government followed such religious rituals abroad, how could they implement uniform civil code in India. He rebuked the necessity of such a ritual in an aircraft handover.

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Owaisi slams religious rituals in Rafale handover

"Our country has purchased the new Rafale aircraft from France, which is a good thing. It is needed as our Airforce's MiG, Sukhoi jets are getting old. But while receiving the Rafale aircraft, the Defence Minister kept two 'nimbus' in front of the wheels of the aircraft. Those were not Indian nimbus, they were Paris' nimbus. In a majorly Christian nation, you are placing nimbus beneath an aircraft's wheels. How will you implement the Uniform Civil Code?" he said.

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Owaisi slams Sena for Uniform Civil Code demand

Owaisi also slammed Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for demanding implementation of Uniform Civil Code. He said that Thackeray did not understand what it meant. He challenged him to write about it in the Sena mouthpiece - 'Saamna'. Owaisi also slammed the BJP for misguiding the people about the Uniform Civil Code.

"Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey has asked Union Home Minister to bring Uniform Civil Code in India. I wish to tell Uddhav Thackrey that if you know the meaning of Uniform Civil Code, please write about it in Saamna tomorrow itself, " he said. Earlier on Tuesday, while addressing a rally in Mumbai, Thackeray had demanded Home Ministry for the implementation. "People used to question us on why we entered into a coalition with the BJP, today we say that we did it for the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Now I request Amit Shahji to implement Uniform Civil Code in the nation," Thackeray said.

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Rajnath Singh's Shastra Puja

Meanwhile, in France,  after being handed over IAF's first Rafale jet, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, performed a Shastra puja at the Merignac air base in France. Visuals showed the Defence Minister marking the aircraft with the auspicious symbol - 'Aum' with vermillion. Visuals also showed a coconut is placed on the wing of the aircraft and holy turmeric threads tied around the wing of the aircraft. He also placed two 'nimbus' beneath the wheels of the aircraft. This puja was performed on the occasion of Dussehra, marking the end of Navaratri festival.

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