BJP leader T Srinivas accused All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi of trying to become the "political sultan" of Indian Muslims by not speaking the truth on the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
"Owaisi, in order to consolidate his vote bank and become the undisputed political sultan of the Muslims in India chose not to tell the truth and did not care to tell his followers what in reality the Citizenship Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) stand for," Mr Srinivas said in Hyderabad.
The BJP leader said that the AIMIM MP had shown his frustration by opposing the citizenship law.
"He has revealed his utter frustration on the pro-minority bills which were passed in parliament under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Why this open rebellion now? Has his faith in the Indian constitution started wavering because the BJP-NDA has started passing them in both the houses?" Mr Srinivas said.
He reminded Mr Owaisi that his brother, Akbaruddin Owaisi's statement had once caused "nearly riot-like situations," and added, "Owaisi always swears by the constitution of India and the Article of freedom to preach and practice one's religion."
The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.
The citizens' list seeks to identify illegal immigrants in the country. It was rolled out in Assam on the directions of the Supreme Court where 19 lakh people were excluded in the final list.
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