New Delhi [India], August 26 : BJP MP Ashok Bajpai on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for refusing to accept the Allahabad High Court's verdict that disallowed girls from wearing the hijab in schools, asserting that the country runs on the Constitution and the rule of law, "not on individual whims."
Criticising Owaisi's remarks, Bajpai stated that defying judicial pronouncements reflects an "anarchic mindset" and contradicts the constitutional principles that the opposition claims to champion.
"During the Lok Sabha elections, various opposition leaders used to move around carrying the Constitution in their pockets. Today, when the constitutional framework has been upheld by the Honorable High Court--and before that by the Supreme Court and various High Courts which delivered verdicts on this--a leader who talks extensively about the Constitution and claims that 'the country runs on the Constitution' is expressing disagreement with the verdict delivered by the honorable court and saying, 'I do not accept that ruling,'" Bajpai told ANI.
"This reflects an anarchic mindset--that you will not follow the law of the land, will not respect the Constitution, and will not abide by the court's judgment. The country cannot run on individual whims; it runs within systems and under the Constitution. The Constitution is supreme, and everyone must respect it. I believe this is a very substandard statement, and making such remarks does not behove a person like Asaduddin Owaisi, who has been a Member of Parliament for a long time," he added.
Reacting to Owaisi's allegations that the BJP and RSS favour the Manusmriti over Dr BR Ambedkar's Constitution, Bajpai countered that it is Owaisi himself who is acting against the Constitution by disrespecting the judiciary.
"Today, the one reacting against Babasaheb's Constitution is Mr Owaisi himself, not someone who follows the Manusmriti. We have deep faith in the Constitution... Even so, there is no question of implementing it today. The Government of India believes in the Constitution of India and expects everyone to act in accordance with it. Those who disobey the Constitution, disregard it, and try to insult it are acting in a deeply unfortunate manner," the BJP leader remarked.
Bajpai also addressed statements made by former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan regarding Operation Sindoor, stating that the government had given a free hand to the armed forces to give a fitting reply to Pakistan.
"Following the statement of former CDS Chauhan, it becomes very clear how our government gave a free hand to the Indian armed forces to teach Pakistan a lesson--that it must be 'tit for tat', and they should be answered in kind. As a result, Pakistan had to suffer a humiliating defeat and was shown its place," Bajpai said.
Urging opposition parties to stop casting doubts on the country's armed forces, he added, "All those opposition parties who used to raise questions about Operation Sindoor should at least come to their senses after this statement by the CDS. Those who cast doubts on the country's armed forces and demoralised them by making baseless remarks need to take a lesson from the CDS's statement and refrain from making such irresponsible statements regarding military matters. I strongly condemn the conduct displayed by the opposition during Operation Sindoor."
Backing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks on the threat posed by infiltrators, stating that this country is not a dharmashala (inn/shelter); it belongs to the citizens of this country, Bajpai emphasised that India cannot be treated as a shelter for illegal immigrants.
"It is a fact that infiltrators entering the country have no attachment either to Indian identity or to the motherland. Whenever such infiltrators enter, it creates a grave threat to national security, and through them, various terrorists and forces seeking to destabilise the nation become active. Therefore, at any cost, there is no place for infiltrators in this country," Bajpai said.
He further added, "India belongs solely to Indians, to the sons of Mother India. Those who come from other countries and create anarchy and chaos here... India is already a nation of 1.4 billion (140 crore) people; we do not need others to come here to increase our population and become a burden on our exchequer. When we work for 140 crore citizens and such infiltrators enter, the focus we wish to maintain on our own countrymen gets diluted."