News Analysis India

Tag: Imtiaz Jaleel

  • AIMIM ready to ally with NCP and Congress; we are not ‘B’ team of BJP: Imtiaz Jaleel

    By PTI

    AURANGABAD: The AIMIM is willing to ally with NCP and Congress, which are constituents of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, party MP Imtiaz Jaleel said, adding the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party is not the ‘B’ team of BJP as alleged by mainstream parties.

    Jaleel said he spoke about the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s willingness to tie up when state minister and NCP leader Rajesh Tope visited his residence on Friday.

    “Tope visited me on Friday, days after lost my mother due to an illness. It is always alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party wins because of us (AIMIM- due to splitting of Muslim votes). To prove this allegation wrong I proposed to Tope that we are ready for an alliance. However, he didn’t say anything about my offer,” Jaleel, who heads the Maharashtra unit of AIMIM, told reporters on Friday night.

    Now we want to see whether these are just allegations against AIMIM or they (Congress and NCP) are ready to join hands with us, he added.

    Queried about the likely stand of Shiv Sena regarding AIMIM’s offer, the Aurangabad MP avoided a direct reply.

    “The fact is that these parties want votes of Muslims. Why only NCP? The Congress also says they are secular and they also want votes of Muslims. We are ready to join hands with them too. The BJP has done the maximum damage to this country. We are ready to do everything to defeat them,” the AIMIM leader said.

    He said the AIMIM had also spoken (about a tie-up) with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh (polls), but they wanted votes of Muslims and not Asaduddin Owaisi, who heads the party.

    “In Maharashtra also, these parties (Congress and NCP) want votes of Muslims but not the AIMIM. You blame us for BJP’s victory. I propose that then let us contest the elections together,” he said.

    When asked whether the proposal for an alliance is limited for the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, Jaleel said that the future action depends upon the response AIMIM gets from NCP and Congress.

    “Otherwise we can go alone. We are giving them a chance (to ally) as they call us the ‘B’ team (of BJP),” he said.

    AIMIM had won two seats in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

    On Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide’s recent remarks about Islam, Jaleel said the former can be compared with Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

    “Kasab used a gun to weaken India and this man is using vitriol. No religion is bad. People who follow that religion can be good or bad. This person is not worth calling ‘Guruji’,” Jaleel said.

  • FIR lodged for violating COVID norms at event in Aurangabad attended by AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel

    By PTI
    AURANGABAD: Police have registered a case for COVID-19 protocols violation in connection with a musical programme held over the weekend at Aurangabad in Maharashtra where local AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel was also present.

    When contacted, the Lok Sabha member refused to comment in the matter. The district administration had enforced a ‘weekend lockdown’ to check the spread of coronavirus infection. In a video which went viral on social media, Jaleel was seen present at the ‘Qawwali’ programme, held in the Abdimandi area under Daulatabad police station limits on Saturday night.

    He was also seen getting on to the stage and some people showering currency notes on the parliamentarian. A senior official from Daulatabad police station told PTI on Monday that they rushed to the place where the musical was being held and its videos went viral later.

    “We acted swiftly and registered an FIR against local residents Sohel Jakiuddin, Samir Sajid Builder, Naser Siddiqui and Rafiq Khan and 50-60 other unidentified people under relevant provisions. We are verifying the videos and if necessary, action may also be taken against Jaleel,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader and former MP Chandrakant Khiare hit out at Jaleel, saying while ‘warkaris’ (devotees of Lord Vitthal) cannot go to Pandharpur (in Solapur-for religious procession) due to the pandemic, the parliamentarian was “enjoying Qawwali by breaking the COVID-19 protocols”.

    “Some officials from the police department are supporting Jaleel,” Khaire alleged, and said he will meet the police commissioner and seek action against the Aurangabad MP in the case.

    Khaire also said the venue where the musical event took place was close to forest area and such programmes were not allowed there. “A probe should also be conducted against the land owner (of the venue) in this case,” he said.

    The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also criticised the district administration over the issue.

    In a video message, MNS district president Suhas Dashrathe said, “On one side, the poor people are dying here amid COVID-19 restrictions, while on the other side, currency notes are showered on a public representative.”

    Dashrathe said they had demanded a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in Aurangabad for three more hours every day, but the administration did not consider it. “We now want to see what action the collector will take against the musical event organisers and those present there,” he said.

  • Political front against BJP not possible without support of Muslims: Imtiaz Jaleel

    By PTI
    AURANGABAD: Any political front against the ruling BJP is not possible without the participation of Muslims, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel said here on Wednesday and took a swipe at NCP chief Sharad Pawar who hosted a meeting of Opposition leaders in Delhi the previous day.

    Addressing reporters, Jaleel said the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

    “If an alliance is being formed against the Bhartiya Janta Party, it cannot materialise without Muslims. Muslims in the country are standing with the AIMIM. If Sharad Pawar thinks Muslims are with the NCP, he should come to Aurangabad and see how many Muslims are with him,” the Aurangabad MP said.

    He said the alliance of the NCP with the National Conference will not work out.

    Jaleel said the AIMIM will contest the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

    “The BJP and the Samajwadi Party have finished Muslim leaderships in Uttar Pradesh. When Azam Khan was sent to jail, Muslim leaders left him. The decision on allying in Uttar Pradesh and the number of seats to be contested will be taken by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi,” he said.

    Jaleel alleged that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are two sides of the same coin” “Last time we thought that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would speak for us (Muslims) but Delhi riots disclosed that Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejariwal are two sides of the same coin.

    People of Delhi know this,” he added.

    While talking about the local governing body elections in Aurangabad, Jaleel said the AIMIM was planning to contest from non-Muslim areas also.

    “Our rival Shiv Sena is also talking about an alliance while they claim the Aurangabad district as their fortress,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Jaleel alleged “misplaced priorities” on part of Central agencies in allotting infrastructure projects.

    “Central agencies are providing infrastructure projects where common people and public representatives in Aurangabad don’t want them.

    If flyovers are not built at the spots where people want, we will oppose the work,” he said.

    He said a flyover is proposed in the airport area though it is more needed at Akashwani or Amarpreet chowk.

    “Rather, Road Transport Minsiter Nitin Gadkari should grant us a flyover which would directly take vehicles out of the city on Aurangabad-Jalna road. This will help for industrial growth in the region,” the MP said.