Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 8 (ANI): Islamic scholar Umair Khan has extended support to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi amid his ongoing exchange of words with Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju over the issue of minority rights in India.

Umair Khan told ANI on Monday, 'I support Asaduddin Owaisi's reply to Kiren Rijiju. Since the BJP government came into power, there has been a step-family kind of attitude towards Muslims. Wherever there is any case involving Muslims, the police and the government become active and try to put them behind bars and slam cases against them.'

He alleged that Muslims in India do not enjoy safety and rights as minorities across the globe.

'In the whole world where rights of the minorities are protected and are guaranteed their safety, here statements like 'send them to Pakistan, send them to Bangladesh', 'they have no right to live in the country' and 'they have already taken their share' are said. So, I advocate for what Asaduddin Owaisi said,' Khan added.

The row began when Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday criticised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in response to a social media post about the Union Government's welfare schemes for minorities in India.

In a post on X, Owaisi said that minorities in India have been reduced to 'hostages' rather than even 'second-class' citizens. He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether it is an 'honour' to be the focus of his 'hate speeches'.

'Is it an 'honour' to be the target of hate speeches from no less than the Prime Minister of India? India's minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages', Owaisi said in his X post.

Responding to Owaisi, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that minorities in India do not migrate to other countries, unlike minorities from neighbouring nations who choose to come to India. He said the Prime Minister's welfare schemes are for everyone, including minorities.

'Ok... How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don't migrate? Prime Minister Narendra Modi's welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities', Rijiju wrote on X.

Owaisi, in another post on Monday, replied that according to Rijiju, if minorities in India do not migrate, it means they are 'happy'.

'According to Hon'ble Minister Against Minorities, if we don't migrate, it means we are happy. We are not in the habit of fleeing: we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during partition, and we did not run away because of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, Delhi, etc, massacres. Our history is proof that we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor do we hide from them. We know how to fight for our democratic rights, and we will inshallah. Stop comparing our great nation with failed states like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan! Thank you for your attention in this matter!', Owaisi's X post read. (ANI)