Army Chief's remark on AIUDF growth shocking, says Badruddin Ajmal

Guwahati/New Delhi: The All-India United Democratic Front president and MP Badruddin Ajmal here on Thursday said that remark of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat about his party was shocking.

Pointing out that they take the Indian Army in very high esteem, Mr Ajmal told this newspaper, “I believe General Bipin Rawat has wrongly been briefed by his field officers. We as a political party have been upfront in demanding the NRC (National Register of Citizens) both at the Parliament and in the Assembly.”

Informing that party leaders are going to meet President of India, Prime Minister and Home Minister to register their protest against the remark of the Army Chief, Mr Ajmal said, “”Why is it a concern for the Army Chief that a political party, based on democratic and secular values, is rising faster than BJP? Alternative parties like AIUDF, AAP have grown because of the poor-governance of big parties.”

Mr Ajmal also advised that Army Chief should have cross-examined the facts before making such baseless statement on growth of a political party.

Defending General Rawat’s comments on the AIUDF, Army sources in New Delhi said there was “nothing political or religious in the talk”. “The Bangladeshi PM too had spoken about amalgamation and development on February 21 while meeting the media”.

The AIUDF came into existence in October 2005. The party fought the first Assembly polls in 2006.

So far, the party has fought two parliamentary polls, three Assembly elections and two panchayat polls.

“If you see our political track record, you will find that in first assembly polls we got 10 per cent vote and in second assembly polls the AIUDF got 17 per cent vote where as in 2016, our vote share came down to 13 per cent. The BJP came to power in Assam with a growth of 600 per cent,” said Mr Ajmal while reiterating that they would like to meet General Rawat also to clear the misgivings.

“We respect Indian army and will continue to do so as we are in peace because they are defending our borders,” said Mr Ajmal who suspected that army chief has been fed with very wrong facts. “I am looking forward to meet him personally to know the reason for such political remarks from him,” said Mr Ajmal.

The AIUDF president who is also the president of Assam Jaimiat Ulema-e-Hind said that the remark from the topmost general was uncalled for. “It has pained me personally. He should have done little research on our background since Independence,” said the veteran Muslim leader refusing to indulge in any political diatribe on Indian army.

At an event in Delhi on Wednesday, General Rawat talked about the “faster” growth of the AIUD F. He implied that an influx of illegal Muslim migrants into the area is what has led to the growth of this party and an increase in the “Muslim population” in several districts of the state.