Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 10 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's political moves "benefit the BJP," urging opposition leaders to maintain unity and avoid actions that indirectly strengthen the BJP.
He said Owaisi's "Ekla Chalo Re" approach in the West Bengal assembly election ultimately helps the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut said, "And Asaduddin Owaisi says 'Ekla Chalo Re' in Bengal, which benefits the BJP. Owaisi and others adopt such tactics to help the BJP. What more can be said? Owaisi is such an educated person, a barrister; he should maintain restraint and talk to opposition partners. Your enemy is the BJP. The enemy of the country is the BJP. And if you consider yourself a patriot, then no political game should be played that helps the BJP in any way, whether it is Mr Owaisi or anyone else."
His remarks come after All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, has announced its decision to withdraw its alliance with a party headed by Humayun Kabir.
The announcement follows remarks and revelations attributed to Kabir, which AIMIM said raised concerns regarding the "integrity of Muslims." In a strongly worded statement, the party declared that it "cannot associate with any statements where the integrity of Muslims is brought into question," and confirmed that it has officially ended the alliance with immediate effect.
Further, Raut said that Congress withdrew from the Baramati Assembly seat after receiving multiple requests, calling it a "strategic decision under a nationalist policy."
He also demanded an investigation into the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, while accusing the BJP of breaking bypoll traditions.
"Congress decided to withdraw from Baramati because several people requested it. He called it a strategic demand under a nationalist policy... an investigation should be conducted into the death of Ajit Pawar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has broken the tradition of by-elections. There is a difference between the Rahuri and Baramati elections, and they should not be compared," he said.
Raut launched a sharp political attack questioning recent statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged "bomb-making" activity in West Bengal.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is saying that a bomb-making factory has been set up in West Bengal. Then, in Gujarat, a drug-manufacturing factory has been set up. Is this correct or not? All the drugs that have been seized in the country so far, worth hundreds and thousands of crores, were unloaded at Gujarat's Mundra Port. Prime Minister Modi should speak with dignity if he wants to maintain respect for a few more days in office," he said.
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