‘Muslims are not responsible for the partition of India’: Asaduddin Owaisi

New Delhi: AIMIM’s chief Asaduddin Owaisi was addressing a public gathering in which he said that the Muslims were not allowed to vote at the time of partition. At the time only ‘Nawabs’, rich and educated were allowed to cast their votes.

He also said that it is absolutely wrong to siphon off the blame of partition on the Muslims.

Asaduddin Owaisi said, “The people of our beloved nation who are uneducated, those who are filled with hate in their minds and hearts against the Muslims. We want to show them the mirror. We want to let them know the role of Muslims in the Indian freedom struggle.”

He further said, “The nation got its independence on August 15, 1947. But was this freedom possible only due to the revolts that occurred in the year 1910 and 1920 against the British Raj? For this we need of look at the dates.”

Citing a range of dates going back as early as the 18th century, he said, “India got its independence in 1947. But the first revolt for freedom was initiated in 1857. Before 1857 another battle was fought in 1757. The Battle of Plassey, the battle of Siraj-ud-Daulah.”

He further said, “After that the battle of Buxar was fought in the year 1764. Another battle was fought in Rohilla in 1774. In the year 1799 Tipu Sultan was martyred.”

Talking about the battles of freedom struggle he said, “1799, 1774, 1764, 1757, 1857, and then 1947. The sacrifice that was bestowed by Tipu Sultan for the nation garnered hopes in the hearts of the people.”

He further said, “The battle of Rohilla also helped in garnering hope. Then the battle of Buxar was fought, then Siraj-ud-Daulah was martyred in the battle of Plassey. People also got hopes when Ahmed Sayeed of Bareily was martyred. We got the final blow for independence in 1947.”

At the end he said, “So if we start looking at the freedom struggle beginning from the year 1920. Is it feasible to forget about all other sacrifice that have been made before that. Can we forget the sacrifice made by Siraj-ud-Daulah? Can we forget the sacrifice of the martyrs in the battle of Buxar? Should we forget the battle of Rohilla? So, it is important for us to remember all the sacrifice and not be selective.”