Lok Sabha Polls: Owaisi’s fear-mongering election campaign strategy in Hyderabad

Fear-mongering is one of the successful strategies of Muslim politicians in India. The AIMIM and its leaders are known to exploit the innocent and common nationalistic Muslims of the country, particularly of Hyderabad.

Addressing an Eid Milap meeting at Yakutpura in Hyderabad, AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi said, “We don’t know if Akbaruddin Owaisi will be killed in jail by poisoning, or if both Akbaruddin and Asaddudin Owaisi will be imprisoned, and they might shoot at us under the pretext of shifting to a hospital for medical treatment.”

In his speech, he asked the audience to think over a movement to understand what will happen if there is no AIMIM, creating a fear-mongering hypothetical situation during the election campaign on 15 April in the old city.

It is easy to presume that Akbaruddin Owaisi was referring to the recent deaths of judicially convicted criminals Mukthar Ansaris and Ateequr Rehman in Uttar Pradesh.

These kinds of fear-mongering speeches by AIMIM leaders have become normal since its new avatar as a political party in 1957, to solidify its political control on the Hyderabad Muslim community and religious leaders.

On several occasions, these Owaisi brothers have disregarded the law and escaped under the flimsy veil of freedom of speech and religion. Their access to political power corridors of state during Congress and BRS regimes also helped them to expand their political and communal politics.

These Owaisi brothers manage to control the majority Muslim-populated old city despite their shameful history of spreading hate speeches, creating divisions among communities, and escaping under the flimsy veil of freedom of speech and religion.

Akbaruddin Owaisi’s Hate Speech at Nirmal

Mocking the democratically elected Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Akbaruddin Owaisi Goes Harsh at PM Modi, Indira Gandhi; BJP Expresses Discontent

Owaisi threatening to hold AK-47 rifles by Muslims

Complaint against Owaisi by Raja Singh in 2012

In 2007, Owaisi threatened Taslima Nasreen if she visit Hyderabad.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/owaisi-booked-for-threatening-taslima/story-Ybl2GnCryTBaNJHRrrGGIO.html

During an election campaign in 2004, Akbaruddin gave hate speech at Chandrayangutta, stating, “Lal Darwaza Ku Hara Darwaza Bana Doonga”

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2009/Apr/07/fiery-speech-comes-back-to-haunt-owaisi-39210.html

These kind of hate speeches are aimed at controlling the Muslim society in Hyderabad. Moreover, fear mongering campaigns often divert attention from substantive issues like access to education, employment and policy debates, instead focusing on stoking fear and exploiting vulnerabilities to influence public opinion and gain support for their agendas of Muslims are victims and non-Muslims are aggressors.

This sort of fear-mongering has a long history by Muslim leaders. In 1948, MIM leader Kasim Rizvi made a speech in Hyderabad. He said, “When once the Indian Union makes any aggression on us, remember that 41/2 crores of Muslims will raise the banner of revolt. We will give back in the same coin and speak to them in the same language that they will understand”

Fear-mongering relies heavily on emotional manipulation, by magnifying the perceived risks, leaders like Owaisi aim to heighten fear and justify their proposed solutions or policies to not vote for anything other than AIMIM else it will be harmful to Muslims of the city.

Speaking with the Organiser, a resident of the Hyderabad constituency said, “This kind of fear-mongering is insulting the intelligence of free voters, disregarding the fundamental values of democracy and an assault on the right to express one’s political preferences.”