Will Modi government condemn those trolling Shami, asks Owaisi

Hyderabad, Oct 25 (IANS) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday asked BJP government at the Centre if it condemns those trolling Indian pacer Mohammad Shami on social media following India's defeat at the hands of Pakistan in Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup match.

Terming the trolling unfortunate and shameful, the Hyderabad MP said it shows how communalism, radicalisation, and hatred against Muslims has spread in the country.

"There are 11 players in the team and there is only one Muslim but you are still targeting him. A win or a loss is part of the game. A team wins and another team loses but the way a player is being trolled on social media and the kind of rubbish being said about him shows how communalism and hatred has spread. Who is responsible for this," he asked during an interaction with media persons.

Owaisi recalled that he had urged the Modi government that India should not play the match against Pakistan as our soldiers are dying in Kashmir and the reason for their killings are terrorists coming from the neighbouring country.

He alleged that the Modi government has no action plan to stop the killings in Jammu and Kashmir.

He pointed out that during the last few days more than 25 civilians were killed. A civilian also died in cross-firing in Poonch.

Owaisi also slammed the seizure of two-wheelers in the valley and checking of the bikes of school-going students.

"What's so great about it," he remarked when asked to comment on Home Minister Amit Shah removing bullet-proof shields while addressing a public meeting in Srinagar. He recalled there were no bullet-proof vehicles when he visited Kashmir twice as part of the delegations sent by the Centre.

On India achieving the milestone of administering 100 crore doses of Covid doses, the MP said China crossed 200 crore vaccines in September.

Noting that only 31 per cent Indians have received double dose, he claimed that the Modi government lied to the nation that the entire population will get double dose by December 31, 2021. At this pace, double dose to all people can be achieved only in March-April 2022.

"There is also no truth in the government's Make in India claim as 90 per cent of the doses administered so far were of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine made in Britain," he said.

Asked how many seats All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will be contesting in the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi said that a decision was yet to be taken. "Our party's (UP) president Shaukat Ali said the party is preparing to contest 100 seats. We will sit and decide," he said.