AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has pushed back against criticism over his inclusion in the multi-party delegation sent to Pahalgam as part of the government’s post-Operation Sindoor outreach.Owaisi made it clear that his participation stemmed from conviction, not political appeasement.
“Whatever I’ve said as part of the delegation is what I genuinely believe. I don’t say things to earn certificates of patriotism,” he said. While acknowledging the criticism, he insisted that “toxic stereotyping of Muslims must end,” and emphasised that Muslims, like all Indians, “want peace and prosperity.”
When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks and the Congress’s position, Owaisi distanced himself from political crossfire and said: “Rahul Gandhi and his party are capable of substantiating and explaining his statements. This is a democracy — everyone has a right to their opinion. It’s better to ask his party directly.”
On whether a special Parliament session should have been convened in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Owaisi noted that there was precedent for it. “The government could have called a special session. But now they’ve announced dates for the monsoon session. We hope that Pahalgam is discussed then. The government must explain the security lapse, fix accountability, and outline a deterrence policy,” he said.
