Asaduddin Owaisi Alleges UAPA Meant to Target Muslims, Dalits & Tribal Communities

All India Majlis Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the alleged arrests of innocent Muslim youths under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Responding to a question, Owaisi said the UAPA was meant to target and jail Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis. He said that the Uttar Pradesh government was not committed to the welfare of Muslims but ready to criticise and had booked Muslim youths under the draconian UAPA.

Owaisi alleged that Muslim activists and youths, earlier booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested for their alleged involvement in the North East Delhi riots in February, were being re-booked under UAPA, which allows the government to proscribe individuals as terrorists and permits more officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe cases. A person charged under the Act can be jailed for up to seven years.

Owaisi said the fight against the CAA, NPR and NRC will continue, adding he believed that the Supreme Court will hear the case and will uphold the Constitution.