Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken on Thursday said a terrorist organisation has no right to make comments on the internal affairs of India, after Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri lauded a girl in Mandya who shouted “Allahu Akbar” at a saffron shawl-clad group of boys who heckled her near her college with “Jai Sri Ram” slogans.
“It’s a banned terrorist organisation. It has no business to comment on the internal affairs of our country. In most unequivocal terms, we the Congress condemn the statement of Al-Qaeda,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference at the party office here. Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a video, spoke about the hijab row in Karnataka earlier this year, calling Muskaan Khan, the student from Mandya, “India’s noble lady” and read a poem in her praise. The terrorist leader urged Indian Muslims to react to the “oppression.”
‘Both polarising’
Mr. Maken also appealed to the BJP Government in the State to not polarise the environment. He said, “We also condemn the behaviour of the Home Minister of Karnataka. Because both are doing the same thing. Both are polarising society. They are polarising and vitiating the environment. Karnataka has a composite culture. This State is a place for investors and businesses. Please don’t polarise. It will damage the economy of Karnataka. We’re a democratic country and strong enough to solve our own issues.”
