Owaisi flays Modi on his NHRC speech

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi has flayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his speech to mark the 28th Foundation Day of National Human Rights Commission today.

A Barrister-at-Law, Owaisi said that a constant Hindutva talking point was repeated by Modi. He disagreed with Modi, when the latter said that human rights and duties are dependent on each other. “Rights against state always trump duties. Duties are not enforceable, rights are,” Owaisi said.

The MP said in a statement that people in power had failed to discharge their duties, resulting in a deadly second wave where people died without vaccines, oxygen and hospital beds.

The MIM chief questioned Modi why no Muslim beneficiary of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAYG) in UP has gotten a house since 2019 and why Muslims are being denied their fair share in development schemes.

“Modi believes that he’s increased dignity of poor by giving them toilets etc. What’s their dignity’s worth when right in India’s capital over 50 people are killed in a pogrom? Is their dignity respected when a Minister’s son mows down farmers and the Minister isn’t even removed (from office)?”

No Modi taking credit for the triple talaq law, in an obvious dig at Modi, Owaisi questioned why Modi failed to incorporate a law that protects all women who were deserted by their husbands.

“There are at least 20 lakh Hindu women who deserved legal protection from the social evil of wife abandonment,” according to Owaisi.

The MP described as a white lie, Modi’s claim on government’s policy on paid maternity and of opening up sectors where women were prohibited previously. “The female labour participation rate in India had fallen to 16 per cent in 2020 from more than 26 per cent in 2005.” Owaisi said.

“It’s also extremely unfortunate that Modi mentioned farmers without even mentioning their human right to livelihood. Hundreds have died protesting the three farm laws, but Modi has refused to repeal the laws or even listen to farmers’ concerns,” he added.