‘Should Muslims Forget Babul Supriyo’s Hate Speech, asks Owaisi
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi in Bihar's Seemanchal on Tuesday. (Image Owaisi on X)
AIMIM chief calls TMC’s opportunism a betrayal of Muslims, declares “we will have a Chief Minister of our own” ahead of Bengal polls
By NIRENDRA DEV
Kolkata, March 25, 2026 — Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of pursuing “politics of opportunism” and failing to deliver genuine empowerment to Muslims in West Bengal.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, the AIMIM chief questioned the Trinamool Congress’s stance, asking: “Should Muslims forget the hate speech of Babul Supriyo just because he has joined you? If this is not double standards, what is?”
Owaisi, who has announced that AIMIM will contest the upcoming West Bengal elections, said the party’s alliance with Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) aims to provide a “genuine alternative” to both the TMC and the BJP.
“People of Bengal are suffocated. They are looking for a real alternative,” he said, alleging that neither the TMC nor the BJP wants “genuine empowerment” of Muslims.
Targeting Banerjee’s political past, Owaisi added, “She was once with the BJP and raised the issue of infiltrators in Parliament. Today, she speaks differently. This is pure opportunism.”
He also took aim at what he described as an “upper-caste elitist mentality,” saying, “Hum raj karenge, aap ghulami karna — this mindset will not be allowed anymore.”
On representation, Owaisi rejected the idea of symbolic power-sharing. Referring to ally Humayun Kabir’s suggestion of a deputy chief minister, he said, “No, we will have a Chief Minister of our own. A Deputy CM is like a sixth finger — it has no power.”
Invoking the idea of substantive equality, he argued that constitutional guarantees must translate into real outcomes for minorities, particularly in education, employment, and political representation.
Owaisi further alleged that Muslims in Bengal are “sandwiched” and continue to face systemic neglect, citing issues such as the cancellation of backward class certificates affecting large numbers within the community.
Echoing him, Humayun Kabir said the alliance was formed to end the “consistent exploitation” of weaker sections and build independent political leadership among Muslims.
Owaisi also blamed the TMC for the BJP’s rise in the state, noting that the saffron party grew from three MLAs in 2016 to 77 in 2021.
“The question is simple,” he said. “Is the system about empowerment, or is it about keeping communities dependent?”
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