Waqf Act brought to snatch away Muslims' sacred places: Owaisi

Kishanganj (Bihar): AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday alleged that the Waqf (Amendment) Act has been brought by the Narendra Modi government to "snatch away" mosques and other sacred places of Muslims. The Hyderabad MP was addressing a rally in Kishanganj district of Bihar, where he launched 'Seemanchal Nyay Yatra', a three-day whirlwind tour aimed at boosting his party's prospects in the state's Muslim-dominated region, ahead of assembly polls. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the Waqf Bill, not with any bona fide intentions, but to snatch away masjids, idgahs and qabristans. He did not realise that these properties belonged to Allah and no one else," Owaisi told the rally in Kochadhaman assembly segment. "God willing, Modi will never succeed in his unholy intentions (naapaak mansube). Muslims will continue to offer prayers at their mosques till the world exists. Places considered holy by the believers in Allah will not fall into the hands of BJP-RSS," he added. Owaisi also took a veiled dig at parties such as the RJD, Congress and the Left, which constitute the opposition in Bihar, remarking, "Since Independence, Muslims of the country have been supporting a party that claimed to be secular." "For long, our votes have been sought in the name of stopping the BJP from coming to power. But the time has come for us to realise that we cannot indefinitely carry this burden on our shoulders like coolies," the firebrand leader said. "We must pay attention to the desolation felt by our youth. We need to do what is essential for our well-being. We shall no longer sacrifice our aspirations to help some parties enjoy power," he added.