Though he resists the label of ‘Muslim leader’, All India MajliseIttehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi is the biggest star in Muslim politics today. Turning 50 on May 13, he’s seeking to retain Hyderabad for the fourth time in a row, and is looking to extend the AIMIM footprint, contesting from Aurangabad, Maharashtra, and Kishanganj, Bihar. He spoke to Amarnath K. Menon on the status of Muslims:
Why does India still not have one Muslim leader with pan-India appeal seven decades after Independence?
A. There has been no semblance of political representation for decades even at the municipality or gram panchayat level. Only if that grows can there be a leader.
Q. Even among Muslim voters, Muslim leaders do not have uniform appeal across regions. Why is this?
A. Muslims are not a homogenous community. The culture of a Tamil Nadu Muslim is distinct from that of a Hyderabadi Muslim. So having a pan-India appeal is a challenge.
Q. Why do Muslim leaders restrict themselves to issues relating to Islam and not socio-economic development?
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