Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, holding it responsible for amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) that he claims have resulted in the prolonged incarceration of undertrial prisoners. His criticism comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent refusal to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the high-profile Delhi riots 'larger conspiracy' case.
Owaisi's Parliament Warnings Come True
Addressing a public gathering in Dhule, Maharashtra, Owaisi recalled his earlier warnings in the Lok Sabha. He stated that the amendments made during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government expanded the definition of terrorism under the law. According to him, this legal expansion is directly responsible for the denial of bail and extended detention of individuals awaiting trial.
Owaisi specifically pointed to changes introduced when senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister. He argued that these stringent provisions are frequently misused, particularly against minority communities. The Hyderabad MP questioned why prominent Congress leaders themselves have not faced similar incarceration under the very law their government strengthened.
Supreme Court Observations and Alleged Misuse
Referring to observations from the Supreme Court, Owaisi highlighted that the law permits custody of an accused for up to 180 days without the filing of a chargesheet. He alleged that this powerful tool is often wielded unfairly. His long-standing opposition to the amendments in Parliament, he said, was based on the foresight that they would be misused, a prediction he claims has now come true with cases like those of Khalid and Imam.
Owaisi has been campaigning for his party in the run-up to municipal elections in Maharashtra. During another rally in Solapur ahead of the January 15 civic polls, he made a separate but significant remark, predicting that a hijab-clad woman would one day become India's Prime Minister. He contrasted India's constitutional guarantee of equal status for all communities with Pakistan, which he claimed restricts top constitutional posts to a single community. These comments drew a sharp reaction from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Legal and Political Fallout
The core of Owaisi's argument rests on a direct link between legislative action and its human cost. By blaming the Congress for the current legal framework that keeps undertrials in jail for extended periods, he is attempting to shape a political narrative around justice and minority rights. The context of the Supreme Court's bail denial adds immediate relevance to his critique, framing it not as a hypothetical concern but as a present-day reality affecting specific individuals.
This controversy underscores the ongoing and heated debate in India over national security laws, their scope, and their application. It also highlights the political crossfire between opposition parties, where historical legislative decisions are scrutinized for their contemporary consequences.
