In an interview to the Outlook magazine ahead of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Poojan, Member of Parliament from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi had said that “Babri Masjid is a mosque and will remain as one” and added that “as far as Muslims and people who believe in justice are concerned, we will keep telling the new generation that our masjid was demolished”.
He also said in his interview that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify if he is visiting Ayodhya in his capacity as PM or in his individual capacity. “As the Prime Minister, he represents all religions and also people who don’t believe in religion.”
Mr. Owaisi had shared the link to the interview in a tweet with a caption saying that attending Bhoomi Pujan in official capacity will be a violation of constitutional oath taken by the Prime Minister and that secularism is a basic structure of the constitution.
“We can’t forget that for over 400 years Babri stood in Ayodhya and it was demolished by a criminal mob in 1992”. Owaisi had tweeted.
Attending Bhumi Pujan in official capacity will be a violation of @PMOIndia‘s constitutional oath. Secularism is part of the Basic Structure of Constitution
We can’t forget that for over 400 years Babri stood in Ayodhya & it was demolished by a criminal mob in 1992 https://t.co/qt2RCvJOK1
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 28, 2020
Responding to Mr. Owaisi’s tweet, BJP MP from Bengaluru South hit out at the former’s hypocritical stance asking where was ‘secularism’ when Presidents and Prime Ministers of India organized Iftaar parties in official capacities and in official residences.
He also said that the Masjid was built by razing the temple and that mistake has now been reversed.
“P.S We don’t need lessons in constitutionalism from Razakars”, Mr. Tejasvi Surya added.
When Presidents of India & CM’s of states were organising Iftaar parties in official capacity, in official residences where was your ‘secularism’?
Masjid was built by razing the temple. That mistake is now reversed.
P.S We don’t need lessons in constitutionalism from Razakars. https://t.co/1vk9I2zvIe
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) July 28, 2020
The Ram Mandir’s Bhoomi Poojan in Ayodhya is scheduled to happen on August 5th, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to lay the foundation stone. Over 150 attendees have been invited for this event. After