At a time when AIMIM was busy taking credit in the state assembly over CM KCR’s announcement about protecting Wakf lands from encroachments in the state Yesterday, a rift in Congress minority leaders of the city came to fore when a brawl brooked out between two groups in a meeting that was held Yesterday at Gandhi Bhavan.
Two groups of Congress minority leaders were seen scuffling and exchanging words against each other during a meeting as one group was offended with the tone being used by a leader of another group during his speech.
As the meeting was called to discuss the strategy for the upcoming GHMC elections, it took an ugly turn when a senior party leader and Incharge Nampally assembly Mohammed Feroz Khan is addressing the gathering. Infuriated with the tone being used by Feroz Khan, some leaders started protesting vociferously alleging that the tone being used by the leader against women is no way appropriate. Leaders of a group like Mohammed Ghouse and Osman Al-Hajri have taken umbrage over the way the leader of another group has allegedly targeted the women. They said that the tone being used by Feroz Khan during his address has actually hurt the feelings of the community to which later has categorically denied.
At one occasion the situation goes out of control when Mohd.Ghouse, in a spur of the moment, was seen pushing Feroz Khan back when he approached him trying to clarify his intention whole placing his apology on the mike. The meeting hall soon was churned up with the squeal of the leaders of both the groups over the issue that if discussed behind the door would be sorted out amicably. The incident that has spread like a wild fire in no minutes, no doubt would cast a shadow over the party’s campaign in the upcoming elections.
Here eschewing any mention of groupism in Congress would be unjust as the party’s fragile position in the state is said to be a direct result of the prevailing trend.
Sensing the enormity, the President, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), Uttam Kumar Reddy jumped into the brawl and have calmed down the warring groups. However, by the time the videos of the incident spreads on social media like a wild fire.
Condemning the remarks allegedly made by Congress minority leaders Feroz Khan, the senior congress leader Osman Alhajri said, “There should be some sense of cautious instrumentalism while addressing the people. Your insensitive chatter or tongue twisting might inflict a heavy wound to someone or anyone. Had he applied his sense of approval before speaking, the brawl might not have taken place. Sentiments were hurt and his sorry wouldn’t compensate the damage.”
Refuting the allegation of targeting a specific gender during the address, the firebrand leader of Congress and Party Incharge Nampally Constituency, Mohammed Feroz Khan later said, “A minor altercation ensued due to miss understanding but it has amicably resolved.”
Explaining his intention behind dragging the point towards an issue of “veiled irregularities” being committed every time during elections by the opposition in order to ensure the victory of candidates and is often termed as “Barkat Ke Vote” by MIM itself, he said, “MIM by and large use some poor women in veiled to get votes infavour of their candidates thereby to ensure their victory.”
To counter the threadbare strategy of gaining ‘votes under veil’ Feroz Khan said, “He suggested while addressing the party men to support his plan for inclusion of face recognition system in the election process. This would help find bogus voters hired by MIM, who used ‘Burkha’ as a tool to conceal their identity, with the help of advanced technology. They can’t win the election without committing discrepancies and on genuine ground. Only “Barkat Ke Vote” comes to the rescue their candidates during the hustings.
Explaining that he carries a deep respect and reverence for the women who wear Burkha as our mothers, sisters as well as daughters proudly used to wear it, Feroz Khan, said, “The problem is not with the ‘Burkha’ but the trend of bogus voting through the help of women in veiled attire. This sort of discrepancies could be curtailed using face recognition technology during elections as it was largely developed to recognise the identity of the individuals.”
