'You talk of breaking, AIMIM talks of uniting': Owaisi accuses BJP ahead of GHMC polls

Addressing a rally in Hyderabad for the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that BJP earns crores from temples and destroys mosques. He also said that the people of Hyderabad donate for temples and that AIMIM talks about uniting people. Owaisi accused the BJP of spreading hate in the run-up to the GHMC elections, even as the campaigning for both sides reached alarming and unabashed levels of communalisation. 

READ | GHMC elections: BJP & TRS drag each other to EC; allege derogatory jibes against PM & KCR

"You (BJP) destroy mosques, but we (AIMIM) are the ones who are collecting Rs 10 crore for a temple. This is the difference between you (BJP) and us (AIMIM). You talk of breaking and we talk of uniting. In Telangana Assembly, Akbaruddin Owaisi has asked for Rs 10 crore for a temple. The chief minister was shocked, the BJP was distressed. People of all faith live here and we want that they should follow their religion. It is the thinking of the Majlis. I will not allow the situation of the 1980s and 1990s to be repeated here. I do not want to ruin the memories of children but the BJP wants to promote hatred," Owaisi said. 

Earlier, Owaisi had said that the GHMC election is a fight between "Hyderabad and Bhagyanagar". "Why are you behind me, why are you trying to provoke me? If you are saying that there are thirty-thousand Rohingyas, then what is Amit Shah doing? Amit Shah is sleeping? He is Home Minister, why isn't he checking if Rohingyas have been included in the electoral list? Are we making the electoral list in our office? If BJP is honest, then give me a list of names of at least 1000 Rohingyas till tomorrow evening. You are just trying to create hatred. This fight is between Hyderabad and Bhagyanagar. There are so many things in Hyderabad, go visit Charminar, go eat the food delicacies, but no, you (BJP) can only see Sherwani and attack," he had issued a challenge to the BJP. 

READ | Owaisi Slams BJP's 'Surgical Strike On Old Hyderabad' Threat; Dares It To 'Do It At LAC'

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections

The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) announced that 150 GHMC divisions will go to polls on December 1 and the counting of votes will be done on December 4. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the polling time has been extended by one hour, i.e., from 7 am to 6 pm. The current term of the GHMC council ends in February 2021 and in the 2016 elections, AIMIM won 44 seats, TRS won 99. BJP won 4 seats, Congress won 2 and TDP won one seat.

READ | TRS questions Rahul Gandhi's absence from Parl when farm bills were tabled, Cong responds

READ | Owaisi Dismisses Alliance With TRS For GHMC Polls And taunts KCR Over His 'anti-BJP Front'