Asaduddin Owaisi has one question on Centre's Afghanistan briefing: 'Hope AIMIM's invited'

In an attempt to take a dig at the Central government, Assaduddin Owaisi on Monday asked if his party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), will be invited for the briefing on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Owaisi raised the question moments after the Central government announced that it would be holding a briefing on the Afghanistan issue for the floor leaders of the political parties. 

'Will the AIMIM be invited?': Owaisi

Earlier in the day, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar informed that keeping in view the developments in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed the Ministry to brief the floor leaders of the political parties on the current situation. He then put the onus of providing further information on his companion in the cabinet Pralhad Joshi, who in response wrote, "Floor Leaders of Political Parties would be briefed by EAM S Jaishankar on the present situation in Afghanistan, on 26th August, 11 am in Main Committee Room, PHA, New Delhi." Underlining that the invites for the briefing will be sent through e-mail, he added, "All concerned are requested to attend."

Resharing the tweet of S Jaishankar and Pralhad Joshi, Assaduddin Owaisi, whose party has 2 MPs in the Lok Sabha, asserted, "I hope AIMIM will also be invited."

'Focus on Kanpur instead of Kabul': Owaisi

The tweet of  Assaduddin Owaisi in relation to the situation in Afghanistan comes a day after he suggested the Central government to 'focus on Kanpur instead of Kabul'. Recently, a Muslim man was brutally thrashed in public and allegedly forced to chant 'Jai Shree Ram' in Kanpur. In reference to the same, the AIMIM leader asked the government to divert its attention to Kanpur instead of Kabul, which is in a state of chaos after the Taliban government took over power in Afghanistan. The Indian government has been continuously monitoring the developing situation in the war-torn country. 

"Do not focus on Kabul, focus on Kanpur, where a nine-year-old was begging for mercy on his father as he was being thrashed by a mob in the presence of police. Why don't you talk about what incident in Kanpur? You have affection for the children of Kabul, but not Kanpur? Is this patriotism?" asked Owaisi. 

While AIMIM has blamed the Central government for paying too much attention, the Congress party has asserted that the PM-Modi-led government is silent on the issue. In a statement issued a few days back, the national party had said, "Situation in Afghanistan is extremely alarming. India's strategic interests were at stake. Safety and security of our embassy, its personnel as also that of Indian citizens at stake", pointing out that a mature political and diplomatic response from the government is the need of the hour.