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Citing evictions, discrimination and NRC exclusions, Owaisi claimed that Muslims in Assam were being politically marginalised.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
On the campaign trail for two days in poll-bound Assam at the invitation of AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi spoke to CNN-News18 in an exclusive chat.
Owaisi defended his party’s decision to campaign in Assam, saying AIMIM is backing AIUDF because Muslims in the state are facing discrimination, evictions and political marginalisation.
Speaking on the political situation in Assam, he alleged that many Muslims had been removed from their homes in the name of encroachment and accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of adopting an aggressive approach towards the community.
Owaisi said the chief minister’s statements against Muslims amount to hate speech and questioned his handling of issues linked to the NRC. According to him, around 20 lakh people were excluded from the Supreme Court-monitored NRC process, but only about two lakh of them were Muslims.
He accused the Assam government of discriminating against Muslims and referred to controversial statements allegedly made by the CM, saying such language was not appropriate for someone holding constitutional office.
Owaisi also argued that electoral popularity cannot be the only measure of a leader. Referring to historical examples like Adolf Hitler, who was once popular but later became infamous, he said leaders must be judged by whether they follow the Constitution and protect all communities equally.
On the charge that Congress and AIUDF divide Muslim votes, the AIMIM chief rejected the argument and pointed out that both parties had contested together in the previous Assam Assembly election and won 29 seats.
He accused the Congress of using Muslims as a vote bank for decades without addressing their concerns. Owaisi said Bengali-speaking Muslims are often treated as outsiders and claimed that the condition of the community had worsened after the BJP came to power.
Turning to West Bengal, he described recent developments in the state as disturbing and said the situation had become more confusing despite Supreme Court interventions.
He also claimed there was nervousness within the TMC and criticised Mamata Banerjee for what he called symbolic legal interventions.
Owaisi further argued that Mamata and Narendra Modi have taken similar positions on the issue of Muslims and “infiltrators”, claiming that Muslims have suffered because of such politics.
On the issue of citizenship, he said decisions regarding citizenship cannot be left to the Election Commission and should remain with the Ministry of Home Affairs through due legal process.
Commenting on Bengal politics, Owaisi said he would like to see Suvendu Adhikari defeated because he does not want the BJP to win. At the same time, he said AIMIM is working to strengthen its base in Bengal, much like it did in Bihar.
On the international front, Owaisi expressed concern over tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and said any escalation could affect India’s gas supplies and damage the wider Asian economy. He warned that if US President Donald Trump pushes for ground action, the situation could worsen further.
Owaisi also criticised reports of a possible special session of Parliament, saying there has been no official communication so far. He questioned the urgency of introducing a constitutional amendment in the middle of elections and said MPs should be given enough time to study any proposed Bill before it is debated and passed.
April 03, 2026, 10:13 IST
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