Following the recent attack on his car in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur during a campaign rally, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi turned down Home Minister Amit Shah’s offer to accept Z-category protection.
Owaisi told ANI that he has refused to take the security cover because he does not value his life as much as those slain in the anti-CAA riots.
“Home Minister Amit Shah asked me to take Z category security today in Parliament.” I’d like to tell him that my life isn’t worth more than the lives of the 22 individuals who perished during the CAA protest. “I don’t like people who wrap their arms around me; I’m a free bird that wants to live freely,” he said, according to ANI.
Shah had told the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day that an investigation into the attack on Owaisi’s car was underway, and urged him to accept the Z-category security detail.
According to official intelligence, Owaisi is still under threat, hence a bullet-proof car has been issued to him, according to the home minister.
The Z-category security cover consists of 22 people, with four to six NSG commandos. Only VVIPs and high-risk persons are eligible for the security detail, and the government has the final say on who gets it.
Three to four miscreants fired shots at Owaisi’s automobile near the Chhajarsi toll plaza in Kithaur, Meerut, on Saturday (February 5), while he was returning to Delhi after an electoral campaign. His vehicle’s tyres were punctured during the firing, so he had to flee in another vehicle. The attackers fled the scene, leaving their weapons behind, according to Owaisi.
Sachin Sharma and Shubham were eventually arrested for the incident by UP Police. Sachin is thought to be a BJP member, as his Facebook page lists him as a ‘Deshbhakt Sachin Hindu’ and has photos of him with state BJP leaders.
The attack was described by Owaisi as a “well-planned plot” against him, and he asked the Election Commission of India to launch an impartial investigation into the incident.