A heated verbal clash has erupted between Telangana Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy and MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi regarding alleged connections with the RSS.
In response to Revanth Reddy's statement suggesting an undercover 'khaki knicker' beneath Asaduddin Owaisi's Sherwani, the MIM president retaliated, labeling the Congress chief a 'RSS puppet.'
Asaduddin Owaisi, a Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad and leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), has consistently targeted Revanth Reddy in recent weeks, accusing him of having ties to the RSS.
Throughout their election campaign public meetings, Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi have asserted that Revanth Reddy is promoting the RSS agenda.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao has also brought up the issue, claiming that the Congress transformed Gandhi Bhavan (state Congress headquarters) into 'Godse Bhavan' by appointing someone with an RSS background as the state chief.
Although admitting past association with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief vehemently denied any links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The latest exchange of sharp words began when Asaduddin Owaisi referred to Revanth Reddy as 'RSS Anna' during election rallies last week. In response, Revanth Reddy intensified his criticism on Monday, remarking that there is a 'khaki knicker' beneath Asaduddin Owaisi's Sherwani. He added, "I thought Asaduddin Owaisi has pyjamas under his Sherwani but there is a Khaki knicker under it."
Further, the TPCC chief pointed out that MIM is a party associated with Qasim Rizvi, the leader of Razakars, the private militia that opposed Hyderabad State's integration with the Indian Union. He also asserted that Darussalam, the headquarters of MIM, is the property of Qasim Rizvi.
“Can I call you Qasim Rizvi today,” he asked Owaisi. Later, Revanth Reddy went on to add that he will start calling Asaduddin Owaisi, Qasim Rizvi.
The MIM chief hit back at Revanth Reddy for his remarks, saying he was targeting sherwani which is a symbol of ‘our culture and our identity’. “In Telangana RSS Anna has joined Congress after working in ABVP, BJP and TDP,” he said at a public meeting in Hyderabad on Monday night.
In response to the Congress leader's claim that MIM is the party of Razakars, Owaisi raised the question of why former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had visited Darussalam to seek the support of MIM.
Accusing Revanth Reddy of promoting ‘Sanghi' agenda, Owaisi said he was attacking the identity of Muslims. “This shows that RSS is controlling Congress and Congress has become a puppet of RSS. There is no difference between BJP and Congress,” he said and appealed to people to defeat both the parties.
(With Agency Inputs)
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