Owaisi, Sharma take turns to visit Dadri

Finding an opportunity to snatch the leadership of the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi rushed to Dadri on Friday to meet Mohammed Akhlaq’s family.

Though he attacked Prime Minister Modi for his silence over the incident, he stressed the “incapacity” of the Samajwadi Party (SP) to prosecute those who are killing people on the basis of religion.

“This was not an attack over meat. He has been killed in the name of religion. This is a pre-planned, cold-blooded killing. It cannot be an accident. This is the thought which is against secularism. It is against the brotherhood of India. It sees Muslims with an eye of suspicion,” the AIMIM MP said. “The SP government is not going to prosecute the culprits,” he added.

“We were expecting the PM to at least send condolences to Sartaj (Akhlaq’s son). We were expecting from the PM who says ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas’ to send condolences at least with a tweet,” said Owaisi.

He also attacked Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma. “Mahesh Sharma is the culture minister of the country and he doesn't have the courage and honesty to condemn the incident unconditionally,” Owaisi added.

Soon after Owaisi left the village, Sharma met Akhlaq’s family. “Hindus and Muslims have been living in peace in the village for 70 years...even the walls of their houses are common...it was an accident,” he reiterated and blamed the media for trying to create unnecessary controversy over words.

“There should not be any politics in the matter....it should be probed thoroughly by the state police or the CBI,” Sharma said. The minister also visited the village temple and spoke to the priest, who had allegedly made the announcement over loudspeaker about beef being prepared at Akhlaq’s house. 

Sharma, also the local MP, addressed a meeting of villagers in the temple and warned against politicising the incident. “This is not a communal issue. We are pained over the incident,” he said.