‘Debate With a Bearded Man on CAA’: Owaisi Dares Amit Shah

At a rally in Lucknow, Amit Shah had said the CAA will not be withdrawn and those protesting can continue to do so.

Asaduddin Owaisi and Amit Shah. 

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

After Home Minister Amit Shah threw a challenge to political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, for a public debate over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi joined in, saying that he wanted the former to discuss the law with Shah.

Addressing a rally in Karimnagar district late on Tuesday, 21 January, ahead of the municipal polls on 25 January, the Hyderabad MP said the home minister called for a public debate on CAA with the Opposition, as he asked Shah to debate with him on the legislation.

At a rally in Lucknow in support of CAA on Tuesday, Shah had emphatically said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will not be withdrawn and those protesting can continue to do so.

Accusing the Opposition of "misleading" people on the amended citizenship law, Shah threw the challenge for debate to Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati.

Reacting to Shah's challenge, Owaisi said:

“I am here..debate with me.. why (debate) with these people.. <i>‘Daadi wale se karo na’ </i>(Debate with a bearded man). We will talk and debate on CAA, NPR and NRC.”

Asaduddin Owaisi

The CAA allows easier citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains who entered India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 after facing religious persecution. Muslim migrants don't figure on this list.

‘I Am Not Halwa, I Am Lal Mirchi’

The AIMIM chief also hit out at the BJP over renaming of places, while mentioning about the 'halwa' ceremony ahead of the Union budget.

“BJP says it will change names. I want to ask from where did the word <i>halwa</i> originate? It is an Arabic word. It is neither Hindi nor Urdu (word). Now remove the Arabic word...They (BJP) say they will (continue to) change names... People of the country will change you... Remember I am not halwa.. I am <i>lal mirchi</i> (red chilli).”

Asaduddin Owaisi

Meanwhile, the AIMIM has requested the Telangana State Election Commission not to use the face recognition application being used on a pilot basis in the polls for urban local bodies, alleging that it would invade the privacy of the citizens, among other violations.