Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 13 : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday sharply criticised the Centre's foreign policy while referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Speaking at an event in Hyderabad, Owaisi said the Prime Minister had told the Iranian President that the attack should not have taken place while engaging in talks with him, questioning India's stance on the issue. He argued that the government should have clearly condemned attacks on Iran and other countries in the region.
"PM spoke with the Iranian President and said that the attack should not have taken place, and you engaged in talks with them. Tell me, why is India acting in this manner? You should have condemned the attack on Iran. You should have condemned the events that unfolded in Doha, Dubai, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Why did you go and sit down with Trump and Netanyahu?," said Owasi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the Gulf region amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, backed by the US, involving Iran and Israel.
In a post on X, PM Modi said he expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions, particularly the loss of civilian lives and damage to civilian infrastructure in the region.
The Hyderabad MP also referred to India's traditional position on the Palestine issue, saying the country had maintained a neutral approach for decades while supporting the Palestinian cause. He added that attacking a sovereign nation amounts to a violation of international law.
"Why did you go and sit down with Trump and Netanyahu? Is this our foreign policy? We have maintained a neutral stance for eighty years. India has always stood in solidarity with the Palestinians. Attacking any sovereign nation is a violation of international law. We, too, attacked Pakistan. People might ask: How was that justified? Article 51 of the UN Charter grants us the authority to do so. But why did Trump and Netanyahu launch an attack on Iran?," said Owaisi.
The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other.
The conflict escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Turning to a recent incident in Uttam Nagar in Delhi that led to the death of a 25-year-old man during Holi, Owaisi alleged that the Bajrang Dal portrayed the case as a communal clash between Hindus and Muslims. He further claimed that the police later demolished a house with bulldozers despite a Supreme Court order.
"An incident recently occurred in Delhi. A dispute broke out between two neighbours--a Hindu and a Muslim. Filthy water was thrown at a woman. A physical altercation ensued between the two parties. Consequently, the police apprehended an eighty-year-old man, three women, and two children. It is a deeply regrettable incident. A young man named Tarun lost his life. However, the Bajrang Dal portrayed the incident as a communal clash between Hindus and Muslims, and the police subsequently arrived with bulldozers and demolished the house. This occurred despite the existence of a Supreme Court order," Owaisi said.
A 25-year-old man succumbed to injuries sustained during a fight that broke out between neighbours from different communities during Holi celebrations on March 4.
According to Delhi Police, the dispute escalated during Holi celebrations in the locality, following which Tarun was injured. He later died while undergoing treatment. Police arrested four individuals in connection with the incident, and further investigation into the matter is underway.