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‘Not Even Second-Class Citizens, We’re Hostages’: Owaisi Vs Kiren Rijiju On Minority Rights
ABP Live News | July 8, 2025 1:11 AM CST

A sharp exchange unfolded on Monday between AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju over the state of minority rights in India, with both leaders taking to social media platform ‘X’ to voice their positions. Owaisi strongly criticised Rijiju’s comment that India is the only nation where minorities enjoy more benefits and protection than the majority, calling such a statement unconstitutional and misleading.

Taking to ‘X’, the Hyderabad MP wrote, “You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. @KirenRijiju You hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity.”

Owaisi expressed concern that India’s minorities are no longer treated even as second-class citizens. “India’s minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages,” he alleged.

The AIMIM chief also took aim at the Waqf (Amendment) Act passed by the BJP-led government, asking, “Can Muslims be members of Hindu Endowment Boards? No. But your Waqf Amendment Act forces non-Muslims onto Waqf Boards — and allows them to form a majority.”

Further accusing the Centre of systemic neglect, Owaisi pointed out that key educational schemes that benefitted Muslim students have been scrapped or restricted. He cited the discontinuation of the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, along with the defunding of the pre-matric scholarship and limitations placed on post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships.

“Muslims are now the only group whose numbers have fallen in higher education and their presence in the informal economy has gone up,” he said, alleging that the community had suffered greatly under the government’s economic policies.

According to Owaisi, Muslim-dominated localities remain the most deprived in terms of public infrastructure and essential services. He clarified that the community was not seeking special treatment, but only what is guaranteed by the Constitution: “We are not asking to be compared with other minorities of other countries. We are not asking for more than what the majority community gets. We are demanding what the Constitution promises: social, economic, and political justice.”

Rijiju Responds, Owaisi Hits Back

Responding to Owaisi’s accusations, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju wrote on ‘X’, “Ok… How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don’t migrate? Prime Minister @narendramodi ji’s welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities.”

Owaisi promptly replied with a pointed post. “If we don’t migrate it means we are happy. Actually, we are not in the habit of fleeing: we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during partition, and we did not run away because of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, Delhi etc massacres. Our history is proof that we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor do we hide from them. We know how to fight for our democratic rights and we will inshallah. Stop comparing our great nation with failed states like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan!”

BJP, Congress Leaders Also Weigh In

BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam, speaking to PTI, criticised Owaisi for allegedly misrepresenting the government’s intent. 

“In the last 11 years, welfare schemes were launched for everyone without any bias. This has uplifted the Muslim community. However, people like Asaduddin Owaisi keep instigating the Muslims. Because of people like him, the entire Muslim community gets defamed,” he said.

Congress leader Rajendra Kumar Singh also said, "In India, the makers of the Constitution and freedom fighters have framed the basic structure of democracy, and it includes various organisations which are independently doing their work. But there is democracy just for namesake in our neighbouring countries, forcing minorities to come here. Our borders are also porous and it is difficult to stop infiltration."

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