Hyderabad, May 12: Describing the murderous attack on his younger brother and Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi as an act of cowardice, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi says his brother has become more popular now and their party, the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen, will emerge much stronger. In a chat with this correspondent, the senior Owaisi says he has immense faith in God and is not easily perturbed by such incidents. Here are the excerpts from an interview with him:
Q. How do you view the attack on Akbar?
A. I believe in God, and whatever has to happen will happen. The attack on Akbaruddin was an act of cowardice. I don’t get perturbed by such attacks. Akbar has now become more popular than me or other MIM leaders. People prayed for him and sent their best wishes. The goodwill he had was there for everyone to see.
Q. How could the attack have taken place in the Old City, MIM’s citadel?
A. Did anyone imagine that Indira Gandhi would be shot dead while being the prime minister? Did anyone imagine that someone would pump bullets into Mahatma Gandhi? The fight between the good and the evil always continues.
Q. You have alleged a conspiracy. Can you elaborate?
A. The role of the managements of two Urdu newspapers has to be probed thoroughly as the attackers are their known minions. If a thorough investigation is carried out, the involvement of big people will come to light. I do not want to pre-judge the investigation by blaming anyone.
Q. In case of a conspiracy, what could be the reason?
A. It was a larger conspiracy to finish off Akbar. Nobody can finish us politically. Let the police probe the matter.
Q. Could it be due to land disputes between Akbar and Muhammed Pahelwan (the prime accused)?
A. What is wrong if an elected representative (Akbar) tries to safeguard government lands which are encroached upon? What is wrong if Akbar says `let us have a school, hospital, park on these lands which will benefit the masses?’ If this is the situation, no MLA will come forward to protect government lands. Akbar’s involvement was not personal.
Q. Some reports suggest that Akbar was carrying his licensed weapon and one round could have been fired from that. Does he always carry his weapon?
A. Let Akbar give a statement to the police and all the facts will become clear. As for his weapon, I do not know. I don’t check his clothes to know if he is always armed or not.
Q. Was Muhammed Pahelwan associated with MIM in the past?
A. Neither Pahelwan nor his family members were ever associated with MIM. They were neither the supporters nor members of MIM though we did help Pahelwan on some occasions.
Q. There are photos showing Akbar and Pahelwan together.
A. I have attended marriages of the children of BJP leaders where many RSS leaders were also present. Are all those who attended the marriage of Ramalinga Raju’s sons fraudsters? There is no rationale behind this observation.
Q. Will you forgive attackers?
A. No. They have committed a heinous crime and they should be punished legally. Pahelwan and his associates are cold-blooded assassins and that is the right way of describing them. Let them face the full music of law.
Q. MBT claims to be a part and parcel of MIM?
A. Who is MBT?
Q. You also blamed the police. But they say MIM never allowed them to do their work.
A. It is rubbish. Let any police officer say it on record if he has the guts. After the Mecca Masjid blast and last year’s communal riots, youngsters of both communities were arrested but I did not interfere. Good policing is in our interest. Is MIM stopping the government from implementing Prakash Singh’s recommendations?
Q. You have always declined security. Do you reconsider now? What about Akbar?
A. MIM never indulged in politics of murder, kidnap or extortion and whatever cases have been registered against me or other MIM leaders is due to political activism and therefore there is no need for security. Yeh mera shahar hai, yahan security kyun? I live my life according to my own principles and, ultimately, whatever has to happen will happen. As for Akbar, he will get tight security once he comes out of the hospital.
Q. Usually, even a small incident would lead to tension in the Old City but not this time. Some say people are only bothered about rozi- roti and not MIM-MBT fight.
A. People will not demean the attack on Akbar by saying such things. A public representative is elected by the same people. It is only the media which is trying to give it a different colour.
Q. As an elder brother, what were your immediate feelings when Akbar was attacked?
A. Those were personal feelings and should remain within me.
Q. What did Akbar say to you in hospital?
A. After he was taken off the ventilator, I was the first he spoke to. He said ‘Bhai Himmat mat haaro. Bahut busdilli se hamla karey mere uper…’
——Agencies