AIMIM, CPI(M) clash over Nandigram incidents

Hyderabad, Nov 19 (UNI) All India Majlis-E-Itihadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owisi and CPI(M) Floor Leader N Narasimaiah had a wordy duel in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly over the violent incidents in Nandigram after Mr Owaisi likened West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendar Modi.

Participating in the short duration discussion on minorities welfare, Mr Owaisi, deviating from the subject, claimed that a large number of Muslims were being killed in the land of Sirajudaulah. It was unfortunate that the West Bengal Chief Minister is speaking the language of his Gujarat counterpart''.

At this, an enraged CPI(M) leader described AIMIM as a party confined only to Hyderabad with no proper knowledge of the developments in West Bengal. ''I leave it to Mr Owaisi to introspect how far it will be appropriate to compare Mr Bhatacharjee with Mr Modi,'' he added.

Accusing the AIMIM playing a second fiddle to the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh, Mr Narasimaiah said AIMIM was free to join the bandwagon of the Trinamool Congress led by Ms Mamta Bannerjee in West Bengal.

Mr Owaisi retorted saying his party had expanded its base not only within Andhra Pradesh but also to other states. The AIMIM would definitely fight for Muslims whereever ''injustice'' was meted out to them, he asserted.

It would a fight against the ruling Marxist-led Left Front in West Bengal in the next elections, he said, accusing the Marxist of adopting double standards by allegedly taking poor people's land in West Bengal but launching a struggle for land in Andhra Pradesh.

UNI