Owaisi on Ram Mandir debate: Am I the spokesperson of Babur, Jinnah, Aurangzeb?

Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday asked whether the Modi government only serves one community and one religion and whether the January 22 consecration event of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple was a triumph of one religion over the other. Taking part in a discussion on Ram Temple inauguration, Owaisi said Muslims of the country are repeatedly asked to prove their patriotism. “Am I the spokesperson of Babur, Jinnah or Aurangzeb? I respect Lord Ram but I hate Nathuram Godse who killed that person whose last words were Hey Ram,” Owaisi said citing the 2019 Supreme Court order which said the mosque demolition was an ‘egregious act’.
“Governments come and go. Modi government celebrated what happened on December 6,” Owaisi said to which chairperson Rajendra Agarwal said there was no festival on what happened on December 6, but the festival was on the inauguration of Ram Temple. “You are a scholar. You have legal knowledge also. Both ASI and Supreme Court said there was a temple in which the mosque was built,” the chair said.
As Owaisi referred to Babur, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey stood up and said the chair should only ask Owaisi whether he considers Babur an invader. To this, Owaisi said, “You first say what you consider Pushyamitra Shunga as. He had an army to raze temples. That’s what I am reiterating that after so many years of Independence, Nishikant Dubey ji is asking Asaduddin Owaisi about Babur. You could have asked me about Gandhi, Netaji, Jallianwala Bagh. But no, you will ask me about Babur,” Owaisi said. PM Modi is sending a message to the Muslims that they can either choose their lives or justice, Owaisi said.
Speaking on the Ram Mandir debate, Amit Shah said Ram Mandir was inaugurated based on the Supreme Court judgement. There is no country which went through such a long legal fight to see the realisation of the faith of the majority, Amit Shah said. “Bhaiya, swagat kar lo. (Brother, welcome it). When everyone is celebrating what is the point in opposing that?” Amit Shah said adding that many people thought there would be riots when Raam Mandir is inaugurated but the Modi government ensured there was no disruption.
“When PM Modi got the opportunity to do the pran-pratishtha, he consulted all seers about what rituals he should perform. He observed a rigorous ritual ly sleeping on the floor, drinking only coconut water.,” Amit Shah said.