Akbaruddin Owaisi courts row; TRS, BJP condemn remarks

AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Wednesday courted a controversy asking whether the 'samadhis' of former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and TDP founder N T Rama Rao built on Hussain Sagar lake bank would be removed as he questioned the eviction drive against "poor people" residing near water bodies.

AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Wednesday courted a controversy asking whether the 'samadhis' of former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and TDP founder N T Rama Rao built on Hussain Sagar lake bank would be removed as he questioned the eviction drive against "poor people" residing near water bodies. The ruling TRS and BJP condemned the remarks of Owaisi, brother of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, as 'inappropriate' and demanded an apology.

Addressing a public meeting here as part of the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the AIMIM leader asked whether the civic authorities who come to demolish the dwelling unit of a poor man near a pond will have the courage to do the same with the samadhis of the late leaders. He claimed that the banks of Hussain Sagar lake was spread over 4,700 acres when it was built by saint Hussain Shah Wali but was now not even 700 acres.

"Where have the 4,000 acres gone? It has become Necklace Road, the shops there, the samadhi of Narasimha Rao, samadhi of N T Rama Rao (NTR), Lumbini Park," he said. Reacting sharply, state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, without naming Akbaruddin, asked whether he has the guts to demolish the samadhis of Narasimha Rao and NTR.

TRS Working President K T Rama Rao said Narasimha Rao and NTR were great personalities who upheld the respect of Telugu people and there was no place for such "inappropriate comments" in democracy. State BJP leader N V Subhash, a grandson of Narasimha Rao, condemned the comments of Akbaruddin and said the latter should mend his ways and tender an apology.

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