New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s treatment of the Muslim community, highlighting the alleged lack of focus on Muslims in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech.
During a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget, Owaisi criticised the government’s approach to inclusion and equity and accused it of treating Muslims as “untouchables”.
“During the budget speech, the finance minister mentioned four communities, but I want to ask, are there no poor, young people, farmers, or women among the 17 crore Muslims in this country?” Owaisi said.
“Muslims are the poorest in this beloved nation with Muslim women facing the highest rate of deprivation,” the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen said.
Sharing data to back his claims, Owaisi said only 29 per cent of Muslims aged between 15 and 24 years have access to education, compared to 44 per cent of Scheduled Castes, 51 per cent of Hindu OBCs, and 59 per cent of Hindu upper castes.
“In higher education, Muslim enrolment is just 5 per cent,” he noted, citing Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
The Hyderabad MP also highlighted the “economic struggles” of Muslims, saying while 58.4 per cent of them are self-employed, the community has the lowest representation in regular wage employment at 15 per cent, and the highest in casual labour at 26 per cent.
“Muslim youth are not getting jobs or educational opportunities,” Owaisi stressed.
“The government considers Muslims untouchables, denying them political representation and a share in the country’s progress,” he said.
Owaisi condemned the government for reducing the Ministry of Minority Affairs’ budget from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore. He said the marginal increase for the ministry in this year’s budget was a sign of the government’s bad faith and false commitments.
He pointed out that minority scholarships have not seen an increase since 2007-08.
“You stand up and give us hollow promises… How will you create a developed Bharat if you harbour hatred for 17 crore Muslims?” Owaisi said.
“This entire speech is an unfortunate reminder that while one man could rise from selling tea to becoming Prime Minister, the middle class, especially our allies, are left to suffer,” he said.
The Lok Sabha MP claimed that the Haj Committee has become a “centre of corruption” and demanded a CBI probe.
“India is hurting,” Owaisi said as he concluded his speech with couplets.
