Hours after his Delhi residence was attacked by members of the Hindu Sena on Tuesday, Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi said it was 'shameful' and "classic radicalisation sailing in the face of the government." He also said that the accused, who vandalised his house and allegedly assaulted the caretaker of the house, were not 'fringe' elements but mainstream elements of the 'Hindutva brigade.'
The Delhi Police arrested five members of the Hindu Sena on Tuesday for the vandalisation. The accused posted a video that showed them damaging the nameplate of the MP and also pelting stones into the house. They were seen carrying axes as well. In a video clip on social media, state president of Hindu Sena Lalit Kumar said they went to Owaisi's residence to "teach him a lesson as he speaks against Hindus at his rallies".
Speaking to The News Minute after the attack, Owaisi said, "I was not in Delhi when the incident happened. This recording of the incident is not new because earlier also, they always came with a camera and protested outside. Earlier too, they damaged my nameplate, broke some flowerpots and banged at my gate. That time also, Raju, the caretaker of the house, was assaulted. So I wrote a letter to authorities to open the back gate and the front gate was closed, and open only when people come to meet me."
Asked about what prompted the attack, Owaisi said, "The whole political ecosystem is full of bigotry and hatred and these people get emboldened and do these things. The issue is that if an MP's house can be targeted and vandalised today, they can go one step further tomorrow. These are not fringe elements, they are the main elements of the Hindutva brigade."
Stating that it was for the government to put an end to such incidents, Owaisi said, "If the BJP wants, it (such incidents) can come down. If they don't want that, it will continue. We have given a complaint. It is for the Delhi police and the government to take it seriously. All these things start from this level, and we cannot brush it off saying they are fringe elements."
"The Election Commission is my immediate neighbour and it is protected by central forces. (The house) is in a secure zone. I have given many complaints about this earlier also. You can come and protest and give a statement against me but why come and vandalise? That shows how radicalised they are. It is for the government to see. You are looking at the radicalisation of people in other religions, but who are these people?" he asked.
When asked about what he hopes from the government, the Hyderabad MP said, "They have to take action and put an end to this menace. They have to end radicalisation. This is classic radicalisation sailing in the face of the government and the government should live up to its social duty, because this sort of behaviour, it doesn't stop. The government has to put a full stop to it."
He also hit out at political parties indulging in 'dog-whistle' politics. "Everyone is indulging in this. For me, it will not stop as such, I have seen so many such things in my life. I will continue to do what I do. It is for the government and political leaders who say one thing, and keep quiet when it happens to another person. They are also being blindly exposed by their silence, as far as I am concerned. I've been seeing such things since childhood, it doesn't affect me," he said.
Owaisi said that the AIMIM Delhi president went to the police station along with the caretaker of the house and filed a complaint. "From 2015, this is a repetition of what's happening. The most unfortunate position is that, since the Parliament police station is nearby, they could have easily stopped or apprehended them. You know everything, which car is going, which car is coming, what's happening, it's a highly secure zone. You have so many CCTV cameras of Delhi police, it's not that I'm living in a bylane, I'm an immediate neighbour of Election Commission of India. What action will be done?" he asked.
Meanwhile, the police said the incident took place around 5 pm on Tuesday. A PCR call was received, following which the five Hindu Sena members were arrested, they added. Those arrested are from northeast Delhi, police said, adding that they vandalised the back gate of Owaisi's residence.
A case has also been registered against the accused under sections 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, and section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act at the Parliament Street police station.
With PTI inputs