Showdown In Parliament As Asaduddin Owaisi Claims Modi Govt's 'Atrocities' In Jamia, 'Shooting At Students'

The Lok Sabha witnessed a massive uproar on Monday after Hyderabad lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi berated the Narendra Modi government over the students protest at Jamia Millia Islamia. Targeting the Centre, Owaisi categorically said that he was with the students of Jamia. “Hum tamam Jamia ke bachchon ke saath hain. Yeh hukumat zulm kar rahi hai bachchon par. Yeh jaante hain ki ek bachche ki aankh chali gayi, betiyon ko maar rahe hain. Sharam nahi hai inko, bachchon ko maar rahe hain, goliyaan mar rahe hain (This government is carrying out atrocities against the children. The government knows that a student lost his sight due to police brutality. This government is not ashamed of its action. It is beating the students, shooting at them).”

Congress Attacks

While the BJP lawmakers protested against Owaisi’s remarks, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was supported by the Congress. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress said that, “Common people of India are protesting to save the Constitution, they are protesting while holding the Constitution and singing the National Anthem but they are being fired at. People of India are being killed mercilessly.” The Opposition MPs also raised slogans of "Save the Constitution. Save our India. No to CAA" during the Question Hour.

More trouble for Anurag Thakur

Another major faceoff between the Opposition and the ruling NDA came when junior finance minister Anurag Thakur started responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour. Congress members, who were in the Well, shouted slogans against the minister and asked 'Aapka goli kaha hai? (where is your bullet?)', an apparent reference to the minister's controversial remarks. Some members also shouted 'Goli maarna band karo (Stop shooting)'.

The sharp reaction by the Congress lawmaker comes after Thakur sparked a row over his poll rally remark. During the election rally, Thakur had egged on the crowd to raise an incendiary slogan, "shoot the traitors", after he lashed out at anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protestors. The Election Commission had also banned him for three days from campaigning for the Delhi elections in the wake of his controversial remarks.

CAA Protests

The nation-wide agitation erupted after the Narendra Modi government passed the contentious legislation in Parliament on December 11. Two days later, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent and making it a law on December 13. The Citizenship Act grants Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan in half the time of other groups if they can argue they suffered religious discrimination in their country of origin.