Taking exception to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments that reservations for Muslims will be scrapped if the BJP comes to power in Telangana, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has said quota is being given to backward castes among Muslims in the state and not on the basis of religion.

Referring to media reports earlier that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the partymen to reach out to 'pasmanda' (backward) Muslims, he claimed there is no truth in what the BJP and Modi had said.

"The reservation that is available in Telangana in BC(E) category, is available to the castes among Muslims," he told reporters here on Monday.

He said the reservation is available to backward castes among Muslims on the basis of reports, including one by a sociology expert and by the then undivided Andhra Pradesh government's OBC Commission.

Attacking the BJP, he alleged as to why the party is against the 'pasmanda' Muslims and their empowerment.

Owaisi asked why the Centre is silent on the Telangana Assembly's resolution favouring increasing reservation for Scheduled Tribes from six per cent to nine per cent and also on an Act to give 12 per cent quota to the castes among Muslims. "All in all, a systemic way of BJP to stop the empowerment of Muslims," he said.

Shah did not express the truth with regard to reservation for Muslims in Telangana, he claimed.

Addressing a public meeting titled "Vijay Sankalp Sabha" at Chevella near here on Sunday, Shah had said if BJP comes to power in Telangana, reservations for Muslims will be scrapped. Elections are due in the southern state later this year.

Owaisi also favoured the NDA government at the Centre "breaking the barrier" of 50 per cent limit on reservations.

He further alleged that the BJP and Shah does not talk about issues like the "death of those in police custody" (a reference to killing of Atiq Ahmad in UP), houses being demolished with bulldozers, the death of 'Junaid and Naseer' (two men from Rajasthan) in Haryana, unemployment in the country and attacks on Indian soldiers by terrorists from Pakistan.

Asked about the reported comments of Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju about implementing Uniform Civil Code soon, he said the country needs control on price rise and addressing unemployment. The country does not need uniform civil code, he added.

Owaisi claimed that the culture of majority community would be protected, while the culture of Muslims would be snatched. "I have an absolute right as per Article 29 in the Constitution" (protection of interests of minorities)," he said.

On Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's reported comments that riots are not taking place in the State, he claimed that data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that thousands of riots occurred few years ago during the BJP rule in the state.

Asked about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meeting his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee today as part of efforts towards opposition unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he said there is still a long way to go.

He attacked Nitish Kumar, saying the latter had left the BJP but joined hands with the party in the past.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.