Smriti Irani says 'unholy' KCR-Owaisi duo support illegal immigrants & not average Indians

Campaigning for the upcoming December 1 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday hit out at CM KCR's TRS and Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM over the issue of illegal immigrants. She said that the "unholy alliance" of both the parties support the cause of illegal immigrants and that indicates "what their political identity" thrives on.

'TRS and AIMIM will not stand by an average Indian'

"The BJP has taken a consistent stand against illegal immigration in Parliament and in our organisation. We have taken a stand that we need to protect the rights of every Indian citizen. The rights of administrations and institutions to ensure that the taxpayers' money goes to the deserving Indians who is a part of this great land. For the TRS or the MIM, in an unholy alliance to espouse the cause of illegal immigrants tells you what their political identity thrives on," Smriti Irani said while addressing a press conference in Hyderabad. 

"To say that the BJP has just brought up the issue of illegal immigrants would be to shy away from the truth that our party has consistently maintained that India belongs to every Indian citizen and thereby we need to ensure that the rights of Indian citizens are protected against the illegal immigrants. Hence the TRS and the MIM will not stand by an average Indian and choose to standby illegal immigrants so that they can politically gain is shameful. The media itself has brought to fore that illegal Rohingyas are added to the voter list," she added. According to media reports, the UN estimates an approximate population of 4000 to 5000 Rohingya refugees residing in Hyderabad.

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She alleged that the AIMIM leaders "have misused their political office" to get illegal immigrants enlisted in the voters' list and the TRS government has not taken any action against them. "This one charge is indicative enough that the TRS and the AIMIM want to ensure that illegal immigrants have a right on this grand city and not our Indian citizens," the Union Textiles Minister said. The coming GHMC elections will set the tone for general assembly elections in Telangana. All 150 wards of Hyderabad will go to polls on December 1.

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