‘Between India and Islam, what would you choose?’: Kumar Vishwas on Owaisi’s allegation of ‘Muslims being thrown out of IB, RAW’

New Delhi: A day after Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi made a high-profile allegation that the BJP-led central government is gradually ousting Muslim officers from the country’s premier intelligence agencies like the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), popular poet-politician Kumar Vishwas on Monday asked him to clarify what he would choose between India and Islam.

Vishwas asked a question to the AIMIM leader on Twitter that he should tell what he would choose between the Quran and the Constitution? Kumar Vishwas’s tweet came in response to the AIMIM Hyderabad MP’s allegations against the Narendra Modi government of being biased against Muslims in appointments to the country’s premier intelligence agencies like Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

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Mr. lawyer, just put such effort on your head and eyes that you too can say these two very learned things once. say –
“If there is a chance for fanatics in Islam and India, then I will end Islam.”
“If one gets a chance to personify the Quran Sharif and the Constitution, I will… https://t.co/PxMOHASZK8– Dr. Kumar Vishwas (@DrKumarVishwas) 24 July 2023

Citing a news report, Owaisi alleged that the ruling dispensation constantly asks Muslims for proof of loyalty, but they never accept them as equal fellow citizens. In a tweet, Owaisi said, “For the first time in decades, there will be no Muslim officer in the senior leadership of the Intelligence Bureau. This is a reflection of the suspicion with which the BJP views Muslims. IB and RAW have become exclusive majoritarian institutions. You constantly ask Muslims for proof of loyalty, but never accept them as equal fellow citizens.”

In his tweet, Owaisi referred to a report published by the Asian Age newspaper which claimed that after decades no senior Muslim IPS officer would be holding a key position in the IB. The report said that the last senior Muslim IPS officer SA Rizvi, who was holding the post of Special Director, was transferred to the National Disaster Management Authority as an advisor. “It is observed that the number of Muslim IPS officers in the IB has come down significantly in recent years. This is in stark contrast to the earlier regime when Asif Ibrahim could rise to the rank of IB director or Assam cadre IPS officer Rafiul Alam could hold key positions during his deputation to the agency,” read part of the news report.

Shafi Ahsan Rizvi is a 1989 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. The appointment was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to an order by the Department of Personnel and Training. “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for curtailment of the present tenure of Shafi Ahsan Rizvi, IPS (UK:1989), ‘hardcore’ officer of IB, who is presently working as Special Director, IB, and his appointment as Adviser, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), from the date of assumption of charge of the post, till January 31, 2026 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. temporarily upgraded from Level 14 to Level 16, as a personal measure of the officer,” read the order.

Rizvi was appointed as Special Director from the post of Additional Director in June this year.