Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Eknath Khadse's comparison of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led Majlis- e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) with Sanatan Sanstha has drawn sharp reaction from political outfits, but his party BJP continued to back the senior leader.
"What Khadseji meant by comparison is that the AIMIM works for Muslims while Sanatan Sanstha works for Hindus. There have been demands to ban the AIMIM as well. But just because some organisation demands a ban on a political outfit, the Government cannot enforce a ban," BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari told PTI today.
There are processes and requirements which are to be followed before a ban is enforced on an organisation, he said.
"His (Khadse's) statement simply meant that as there are demands for banning Sanatan, there are demands to ban the AIMIM as well. But we cannot ban both until there are concrete evidences (to prove they are engaged in illegal activities) before the Government," Bhandari said.
Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam dubbed AIMIM as a "communal" party and said instead of banning, the outfit must be forced to give up politics of communalism.
"The state government should immediately ban Sanatan. While Sanatan does not believe in democracy but in violence, AIMIM, instead of being banned, should be forced to give up its politics of communalism. AIMIM is not killing people, but this fanatical organisation (Sanatan) is killing people," Nirupam said.
NCP was vocal in support of the Hyderabad-based AIMIM and said both Owaisi brothers (its senior leaders) have never caused violence with their speeches.
"Today he (Khadse) is comparing AIMIM with this radical outfit, tomorrow it can be any other secular party. You cannot compare terrorists with a political organisation. Owaisi and his brother have never caused violence with their speeches. The BJP is once again using a religious outfit for cheap political gains," NCP Mumbai President Sachin Ahir claimed.
Khadse had yesterday stoked a controversy by comparing AIMIM with Sanatan Sanstha, a Goa-headquartered right-wing outfit, and its activist Samir Gaikwad has been arrested in connection with the murder of Communist leader Govind Pansare.
AIMIM is known for making provocative statements. If organisations could be outlawed without concrete evidence, then AIMIM would have to be banned as well, he had said.
