Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday mounted a counterattack on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his criticism that he is suffering from, the "disease of Islamophobia", asking the latter "if he was not suffering from Hinduphobia".
Taking exception to Kumar's reported comments that Madrasas are training its students on using AK-47 rifles, Owaisi, addressing a meeting here last week, sought to know why the former has such hatred for Muslims.
"You (Sanjay Kumar) have a disease of Islamophobia," Owaisi said.
Reacting to the AIMIM chief's remarks, Kumar, who is MoS Home, told reporters in Karimnagar (in Telangana) "Isn’t it fact that in Madrasa of Uttar Pradesh arms were found?".
The union minister in a post on 'X' also cited several instances accusing Owaisi of "suffering from Hinduphobia".
"What is this, if not Hindu Phobia? A teacher in Owaisi’s own college was found leading Hizb ut-Tahrir. Tell me, what kind of phobia are we dealing with here? When Owaisi says, "Give us 15 minutes to wipe out Hindus," what deep-rooted phobia is he revealing?," Kumar asked, referring to the alleged remarks of Asaduddin Owaisi's younger brother and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in 2012.
He said they dream of developing the old city (in Hyderabad) into a new city, and alleged that just because of Owaisi, it was stuck in time.
Kumar claimed even his (Owaisi's) own community had started to speak out the truth.
The BJP leader further accused Owaisi of turning the old city into a stronghold of Rohingyas and terror elements.
"They say we need to get their permission to enter the old city. Owaisi has turned the old city into a Rohingya stronghold and terror elements. Whose permission did these elements take," Kumar asked.
"We proudly celebrate the Peer festival. You call yourselves secular, but where’s the same energy for Ganesh Chaturthi or Diwali or Durga Puja?," the union minister further asked.
Kumar slammed Owaisi saying, "He says it’s apparently ‘fun’ to eat beef. What strange phobia drives that sense of fun hurting religious sentiments." Replying to a query on allegations of the use of adulterated ghee in the making of Tirupati laddus, the union minister said people's sentiments were hurt and said the Andhra Pradesh government should conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations.