In an exclusive interview with India Today TV's Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said Pakistan wants to destabilise not only South Asia but the whole region.
00:00And joining me now is Asaduddin Owaisi, the AIMIM MP, who's just returned from one of the all-party delegations.
00:09Appreciate you joining us here, Mr. Owaisi.
00:13You've been traveling and gone to at least four countries, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria.
00:20Give us a sense of what is the biggest takeaway that you've had from all your interactions,
00:26particularly when it comes to how does the world now see what happened in Pahalgam and then Operation Sindhoor?
00:37Well, each of these four countries which we have gone to, they have condemned the Pahalgam attack.
00:46And they are very important for us because out of these four,
00:51one is now presently a member of, non-permanent member of Security Council.
00:57One country would become in next year.
01:00And all these four countries are part of Middle East, North Africa, FATF.
01:06So we'll be requiring their help.
01:09And all these three Gulf countries are members, all these four countries are members of OIC.
01:16The three Gulf countries are part of GCC.
01:22And so they had some questions they were asking us.
01:27One was, why don't you speak to Pakistan?
01:30So we reminded them.
01:32We explained to them that after 26-11, which happened in Mumbai,
01:37our investigators went all the way to Pakistan, gave them the DNA samples,
01:43gave them audio recordings of terrorists sitting in Pakistan directing attacks in Mumbai.
01:50We had shown them that a live terrorist was caught because of bravery of the Mumbai police.
01:57Nothing happened.
01:58Then we also reminded them that in Pathan court, the ISI, in my opinion,
02:04was wrongly allowed by this government to come to Pathan court.
02:07But nothing happened.
02:08Pakistan didn't cooperate.
02:10It was only when Pakistan was put in FATF in 2018 that the trial of 26-11 moved.
02:18But unfortunately, what we also reminded them of this classic case of Sajid Meir.
02:23Sajid Meir was the main planner, master planner of 26-11.
02:28And Pakistan was saying he's dead.
02:30While they condemned terrorism, did they condemn Pakistan?
02:34Because these are OIC countries, which in the past have raised the Kashmir issue as well.
02:40Did you see them?
02:42Are they willing to outrightly condemn the Pakistani army state?
02:50Well, you see, some countries were definitely not happy with what Pakistan is indulging in.
02:58Some countries were telling us, why don't you speak to them?
03:03Some, we reminded Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that you have given a loan to them of, what, $2 billion in 22.
03:11And then in 24, I think so, they've extended a $14 billion loan.
03:16We told them that where is the money going?
03:19It is going to their army.
03:20It's not going for the development.
03:21So, yes, in our meetings, they were concerned about this whole thing which happened.
03:28But we had to explain to them that we were compelled to react in the way we reacted.
03:35Had Pahalgaam not happened, why would we go and attack only nine proscribed organizations, no head office?
03:43We had to retaliate, had Pakistan kept quiet, but we had to retaliate.
03:46But are these countries aware that Pakistan has misused religion to spread terror?
03:53Are they aware of the fact and the manner in which Pahalgaam was, the attacks were carried out?
03:59And therefore, these Islamic countries, do they get, are they aware what Pakistan is doing to Islam across the world by using terror as an instrument to target India?
04:13Well, they are aware, you know, they are definitely aware, they are definitely aware, you cannot say they are not aware, we reminded them.
04:22No, why don't they speak out then against Pakistan, Mr. Owezi?
04:24Well, you should ask them, I am not a spokesperson of these four countries, but my job as a member of the delegation was to put forward India's viewpoint,
04:39to explain to them if they have any questions, but what policy they will adopt that, I think, Sir Rajiv Sarjai Sai should fly down to all these four countries and speak to people we have met.
04:52But this was not our job. Our job was to go and explain to them that India has been a victim of terrorism, perpetrated, sponsored and aided by Pakistan.
05:03And many countries accepted that, yes, terrorism has happened.
05:07We reminded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when we met our interlocutors that in May 2003 in Riyadh, where we met all these, his excellencies, that it was attacked by Al-Qaeda.
05:19Eight years ago, Houthis have launched a missile attack at Aramco. In Algeria, we know for a fact.
05:26So, you know, all these countries are against Daesh, they are against Al-Qaeda.
05:30So, we have told them that there is no difference between L.E.T. or this resistance front and J.E.M. or J.A.M.
05:38They are all, they all subscribe to a Takfiri ideology of killing any person, Muslim or non-Muslim.
05:47So, this viewpoint we had sent, we had told them that these two emails which were sent by this organization accepting this Pahlaga massacre were sent from an area which is close to the Pakistani military contornment.
06:03So, we have shown them that there is a proof.
06:05And we have told these countries that this TRF organization is not, which suddenly erupted or came on April 22nd.
06:14India had informed the United Nations Sanction Committee 1262 in December 2024 that there is a resistance front, which is a new name for L.E.T.
06:22We informed them twice in, I think so, in 24.
06:26So, all in all, you know, all of us have, whatever intellectual capacity we had, whatever information we had, we had put forward the best case of India and ensured that they remember that Pakistan wants to destabilize not only South Asia but the whole region over here.
06:49You are saying that you hope that these visits will have a positive impact.
06:53One of the interesting aspects, Mr. Ovesi, is that while all of you have gone and spoken out in one voice abroad, in India we are seeing the divisions playing out within.
07:03Amit Shah goes to Bengal, accuses Mamata Banerji of opposing Operation Sindhu, which he actually hasn't, but accuses her of playing vote bank politics.
07:12You've had Rahul Gandhi targeting Prime Minister Modi, claiming he surrendered Narendra Modi.
07:17How do you respond to that, that while you've gone abroad, defending India within, the BJP is attacking the Congress, Congress is attacking BJP, BJP and Trinamul in a face-off.
07:29How do you, how do you respond to what's happening at home?
07:32That is our democracy at work.
07:39We are not Pakistan, we are not those countries where they have theocracy or kings.
07:45This is our democracy at its best.
07:47We have the right to criticize each other.
07:50We are criticizing, but at the same time, you have the TMC member, part of the delegation.
07:57You have all Congress members who are part of the delegation.
08:00You have Supriya Sulev heading a delegation.
08:04You have Kani Mosey.
08:05But isn't it sending out wrong signals, Mr. Owasi, with due regard, the fact is if you all speak in one voice abroad and you speak in very discordant voices at home, you're saying it's a triumph of democracy.
08:15But at the end of the day, doesn't it send out mixed signals?
08:19Well, what matters is that when you're abroad, you're representing India, what is the language that you're using?
08:32The language is different.
08:33You're in India, so you have to, you're part of a political party.
08:37Of course, that is our democracy working.
08:39That is how, you know, we can say that we are exercising our freedom of expression.
08:45Yes, we might say sometimes we cannot say what we want to say.
08:51We can also say that Rajiv Sardesai cannot say what he wants to say sitting at this place.
08:56But then again, it's still a democracy is there, isn't it?
08:58No, no.
08:59You see, there are those, for example, CPI's D. Raja, while calling for a special session of parliament, Mr. Owasi has just said,
09:06it is unacceptable that foreign governments will be briefed while India's own parliament and people remain in the dark.
09:13How do you respond?
09:14Do you believe that even before the foreign delegations were sent out, there should have been a special session of parliament?
09:20Or do you believe there should be a special session of parliament now?
09:28No, but, you know, the brief that was given to us, the whole nation knows.
09:36I mean, if I went along with group one, headed by my good friend Jay Panda, was it, the information that we had, was that information not in the public realm in India?
09:50It was there in public realm in India.
09:51Yes, it would have been good if a parliament session would have been called.
09:55But now when today, monsoon parliament session dates have been announced, my party will definitely demand that a proper discussion should take place on Pahal Gaam.
10:07The security lapse which happened in Pahal Gaam, who's accountable for it?
10:12That should, there should be a discussion.
10:14And if the Modi government says it's a sensitive issue, we will not allow a discussion.
10:18I want to remind this government through you, through your channel, is that the parliamentary rules provide you to have an in-camera discussion, wherein without media reporting any of it, this was done, I think so, once in 1960s.
10:35The same can happen, but definitely there are pointed questions will be raised against the government.
10:41And how did this security lapse happen, who's accountable for it, and subsequently, what would be a deterrence policy?
10:49So, I hope, but as far as my party is concerned, we will be definitely demanding that such a discussion take place in the forthcoming monsoon session, which will be held in July.
10:58So, what you're saying, Mr. Ovesi, is interesting.
11:00You're saying you've gone abroad, you've exposed Pakistan as a perpetrator of terror, brought out the difference between India as a victim and Pakistan as a perpetrator.
11:11You've used very strong words against Pakistan, but you're saying now that you're back in India, you will continue to raise some of the inconvenient questions like security lapses in Pahal Gham and other related questions.
11:24Am I correct?
11:28These are not inconvenient.
11:31These are the most important questions which the nation would want to know.
11:35If you say it inconvenient, why should I say it inconvenient?
11:39This is a proper question that has to be asked with our government.
11:45We definitely ask it.
11:47No, the reason I'm asking you, Mr. Ovesi...
11:49But when you're part of a delegation, which is the...
11:51Sure, you're making a distinction between going on a foreign delegation abroad, all-party delegation abroad,
11:57and your role as an opposition leader in this country.
12:01My point, the reason I ask you this is because leaders like you have often been demonized in recent times.
12:08You've been among those who've often been termed as anti-national when you speak out at home.
12:12Now, suddenly people are celebrating Mr. Ovesi, congratulating you for the tough stand you've taken against Pakistan and Pakistan-based terror.
12:24How do you respond?
12:26What would you tell those who once saw you as anti-national and today are saying Ovesi is the true nationalist?
12:31Again, I would say our democracy is working.
12:39They can say whatever they want.
12:41That doesn't change me.
12:42I am not dying for anyone's praises.
12:46I have never asked for a certificate of patriotism and nationalism for anyone.
12:52I will continue to say what I have to say, but if they have realized,
12:56Oh, Mr. Ovesi has said this, what can I tell them?
12:59I have always been like this.
13:01So, we are not, you know, I don't, you know, see, this is democracy.
13:06Today, they have praised you.
13:08Tomorrow, they'll criticize you.
13:09So, this happens in politics.
13:11You know, the day one, any politician, any leader starts accepting that every 24 hours, I should be praised.
13:20And if anyone who doesn't praises me, then I will go after him.
