Hyderabad: In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Thursday said the Centre should take decisive action against Pakistan, suggesting that the response should go beyond cross-border strikes.
Speaking to reporters, the Hyderabad MP referred to a resolution passed by the Parliament declaring that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India.
“If any action is taken this time, then it should be ‘ghar mein ghus ke baith jana’ (enter their house and stay). Earlier, it was said ‘ghar mein ghus ke maarenge’ (enter and kill), now it should be ‘enter and stay.’ That’s what should happen,” he said, responding to a question about media reports claiming that Pakistan soldiers are vacating border posts.
He added, however, that he was unaware of such reports.
Citing past terror attacks, including 26/11, Pulwama, Uri, Pathankot, and Reasi, Owaisi stressed that terrorism must be eradicated.
“All opposition parties are urging the government to end terrorism,” he said.
“You (BJP) are in power—you should put a stop to all this.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday asserted that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
On April 22, terrorists opened fire in Baisaran—a popular tourist spot in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district—killing 26 people, mostly tourists from other states.
Owaisi also announced that the AIMIM will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and claimed that the people of the Seemanchal region will “teach a lesson” to those who “stole” his party’s MLAs.
He said the party has already declared its candidate for the Bahadurganj constituency and that he will address public meetings in Bihar May 3 and 4.
“We will fight strongly this time. You’ll see that our MLA candidates will be more successful than before. The people of Seemanchal will teach a lesson to those who stole our MLAs,” he said.
The AIMIM had seen moderate success in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, contesting 20 seats and winning five—all in Seemanchal, a region with a significant Muslim population.
However, in 2022, the party suffered a major setback when all but one of its MLAs switched to the RJD, the state’s main opposition party.
Commenting on the Centre’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, Owaisi said AIMIM had been demanding this since 2021.
He urged the BJP-led government to break the 50 per cent reservation ceiling and introduce a bill to that effect in the next monsoon session. “Opposition parties will support it,” he asserted.
Owaisi also said it is the BJP, the Prime Minister, and NDA allies who must answer when the census will actually begin, and whether the data will be made public before the 2029 Parliamentary elections.
PTI
