All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that “hatred against Muslims” had increased in the country and criticized the Union government for allegedly funding organizations that he claimed were promoting calls to discard the constitution and targeting Muslims. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not publicly responding to the torpedoing of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by US forces near Sri Lanka, which had come to India at the country’s invitation.
Addressing a public meeting of the Jalsa-e-Youm-ul-Quran at a mosque in Talabkatta on Friday, Mr Owaisi said the Union government had given ₹63 crore to a “dubious” organisation, which he identified as Sanatan Sanstha, for the event attended by Union and state ministers.
He said speeches at the event included calls to “throw away” the constitution, convert Muslims and turn India into a “Hindu rastra”. He also claimed that the participants talked about deporting Muslims and suggested that fear of the government be imposed on the community to leave the fold of Islam.
“Funding has been given to this kind of organization while the government is unable to fund the midday meal,” he said, adding that there were several adverse allegations against the group. Owaisi declared that “no power in the world can remove Muslims from Hindustan” and called for the rule of law.
The Hyderabad MP also criticized what he said was silence from the Prime Minister and the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over remarks he attributed to US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Landau that he would not allow India to rise economically like China. He claimed that the ruling party often speaks negatively about Muslims but does not respond strongly to the United States’ statements.
“If you are so brave, the US Secretary of Commerce says in India that he will not allow India to rise like China. Why? Is India your slave? What is your problem, white man, if India advances?” he asked.
Mr. Owaisi alleged that the BJP and the RSS have often raised issues concerning Muslims but remained silent when such statements were made by the United States. “They have their tongues in their mouths, but they’re speechless. When it comes to Trump, it’s like he’s their big daddy,” he said.
Mr. Owaisi further cited the IRIS Dena, which docked in Visakhapatnam and was later destroyed in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, claiming that the government must clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident. He said: It is the Prime Minister’s constitutional responsibility to tell the country what has happened. We are with America in QUAD. How did the US get so close to our country and sink that unarmed vessel that came at our invitation?
He urged the Prime Minister to address the country on the matter and called for efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia, noting that many Indian expatriates working in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain could be affected by any escalation.
Published – March 6, 2026 7:02 PM IST
