AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has dared the BJP to carry out surgical strikes in Ladakh where China is reportedly occupying Indian territory.

Owaisi was reacting sharply to Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay’s “promise to carry out surgical strikes in the old city area of Hyderabad should his party win the December civic polls of Greater Hyderabad.

“Why no surgical strikes are being carried out against China which has occupied 920 square kilometres of Indian territory,” asked the Hyderabad MP condemning Sanjay’s surgical strike comment. Owaisi he wondered how a political party can speak such a language just for an election.

“They are saying they will carry out surgical strike in the old city to drive away Pakistanis. How many Pakistanis are there in the old city? I am challenging them to show at least 100 Pakistanis living here,” Owaisi said at an election meeting.

He also said if Pakistanis have been living in the old city then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should first remove Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy from his cabinet as this was happening under his nose.

He also asked what did the BJP government at the Centre do for six-and-half years if Pakistanis were living in the old city of Hyderabad.

Terming this as an insult to Hyderabad, Owaisi asked people to give a befitting reply to BJP in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.

He alleged that BJP is trying to create hatred and re-create situation of the 1980s and 1990s in Hyderabad.

“Hyderabad is the growth of engine of India. It is attracting investment of billions of rupees in information technology and pharmaceutical sector. Amazon and Microsoft have set up their second-biggest global centres in Hyderabad. Youth belonging to all communities are getting jobs,” he said adding people of all communities live in harmony in Hyderabad and there have been no communal problems for six-and-half years.

“There are Muslims, Hindus, Dalits, Backward Classes and Sikhs living peacefully here. MIM works for all people irrespective of their religions and castes,” he said.

He pointed out that MIM leader in Telangana Assembly and his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi has demanded Rs 10 crore for Lal Darwaza temple in the old city.

He said his party has again fielded non-Muslim candidates in GHMC polls which are scheduled for December 1.

“BJP divides people but we unite them,” he added.

(With agency inputs)