AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the contribution of the RSS to India's freedom struggle, alleging that Sangh founder K.B. Hedgewar was jailed not for opposing British rule, but for supporting the Khilafat movement.
While addressing a rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Monday, ahead of the municipal corporation polls scheduled for January 15, Owaisi denied the presence of Bangladeshi migrants in the region. He claimed that if any such migrants were found, it would indicate a failure of the Narendra Modi government. Owaisi criticized the ruling BJP for utilising such narratives to promote its Hindutva agenda and distract from governance failures.
In his remarks regarding the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Owaisi asked, "Is there any RSS leader who has been jailed for fighting against the British?" He continued, "They claim that Hedgewar was imprisoned, but he went to jail in support of the Khilafat movement. Today, they spread hatred against Muslims." He further emphasised that while the RSS speaks of patriotism, they have not lost any members in the fight against British rule. He cited socialist leader Yusuf Meherally of Mumbai, who was known for coining the slogans of "Quit India" and "Simon Go Back," asserting that the RSS does not understand history and wrongly accuses others of being Bangladeshis.
The Khilafat movement (1919 to 1924) was an agitation by Muslims aimed at pressuring the British government to maintain the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as the Caliph (spiritual leader) of Islam after World War I.
Owaisi criticised the government, stating that despite having police, intelligence, and border control, it has failed to complete even a 10-km fence along the Bangladesh border. He noted, "China and the ISI have reached Bangladesh, and yet the BJP and RSS keep shouting 'Bangladesh-Bangladesh' here."
He urged the public to vote in large numbers in the upcoming municipal elections, stressing that a strong turnout would serve as evidence of their engagement when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) occurs in Maharashtra. Owaisi also pointed out that the authority to question citizenship lies with the Home Ministry as per the Citizenship Act, but alleged that the Modi government has shifted these responsibilities to the Election Commission.
Former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel challenged state Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s assertion that the party would be wiped out in the elections. "I challenge you, Shinde, that if this happens, I will shave my beard. But if it does not happen, you should be prepared to use a razor for the same," he added.
*With PTI inputs
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