Staff Reporter
Prominent Muslim leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has rejected the government’s move to give him ‘Z’ category security and demanded that the stringent anti-terror law UAPA should be slapped against the person who fired at his vehicle while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, a day after his vehicle was attacked at Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi said he does not need the ‘Z’ category security and reject the government’s move as he wanted to be an ‘A’ category citizen rather than a ‘Z’ category security holder.
After the incident, the government on Friday decided to give Owaisi ‘Z’ category security by commandos of the CRPF round the clock. He said“I don’t want the ‘Z’ category security. I want to be a ‘A’ category citizen. I want to live as a common citizen, to speak. If poor is safe I will also be safe. I will not get scared of those who shot at my car.
“But we must find out who are these people who have so much hatred, he said.
Owaisi claimed that right wing extremism is growing in the country and the government must take action as it is very dangerous for the country.
He said the people of UP will reply to the bullets through ballots.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who was present in the House, said that one person was immediately arrested for the attack and a vehicle has been seized.
The UP government has taken prompt action to nab the culprits, he said.
Goyal also said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will make a statement in the House on Monday. The car of the chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was allegedly fired upon in Hapur while he was returning to Delhi after attending election-related events in western Uttar Pradesh.
No one was injured in the incident.
Owaisi had urged the Election Commission to ensure an independent probe into the incident.
Cutting across party lines members expressed concern in Lok Sabha over certain remarks by an MP, casting aspirations on Speaker Om Birla’s conduct in the House and said dignity of the House and the Chair must be upheld.
Without taking anyone’s name, Birla first said that he was pained at after seeing some remarks casting aspirations on his conduct.
He said that MPs should be careful while making comments – both inside and outside the House or on social media.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury said all members do respect the Speaker who is the guardian of the House and that is why they always cooperate with him.