NDA slams Owaisi over ‘hijab-clad PM’ remark

Patna: The BJP-led NDA has reacted sharply to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s remark that a hijab-clad woman would one day become the Prime Minister of India.Union minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Saturday said such thinking would not be allowed to undermine the country. “Owaisi has ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ in his mind. But he should know whatever happened in the past because of Congress’s appeasement policy will not be allowed to happen again in this country. There will be no second Pakistan formed here. The Constitution will prevail, and the rule of law will be enforced,” he said. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, while acknowledging the constitutional position, asserted India’s civilisational identity. “Constitutionally, there is no bar on anyone becoming the Prime Minister. But India is a Hindu nation and we strongly believe that the Prime Minister of India will always be a Hindu,” he said.Owaisi had made the remarks while addressing a gathering in Maharashtra’s Solapur on Friday. “The Pakistani constitution states that only a person of a particular religion can become Prime Minister, but Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution says any Indian citizen can become Prime Minister, chief minister, or mayor. One day a daughter wearing a hijab will become the Prime Minister of India. The parties that are spreading hatred against Muslims in the country today will not last much longer,” he said.From the opposition, Bihar Congress MLC Samir Kumar Singh cautioned against turning the issue into a communal debate. “He should not raise such an issue. I want to point out that Muslims have also served in high positions in India, such as President Zakir Husain,” he said, adding that Hindu-Muslim politics had already caused immense damage to society.LJP (Ram Vilas) leader and Bihar minister Sanjay Kumar Paswan said Owaisi should stop making such statements.HAM(S) chief and Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman said political power ultimately rests with voters. “Dreaming is not bad. But people decide who becomes the PM and the CM. The people of the country have chosen PM Modi, who has emerged as the world leader. Owaisi can dream and I am not against anyone. Kisi ke kahane se kuch nahi hota hai,” he said.Targeting the AIMIM chief, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “There is no restriction in the Constitution on whether the PM should be someone who wears a hijab or not. Anyone can become PM, but first, win the votes. Owaisi, why don’t you first make a hijab-wearing woman or at least someone from the Pasmanda community the president of your own party?”