All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that “hatred against Muslims” had increased in the country and criticised the Union government for allegedly funding organisations that, he claimed, promoted calls for discarding the Constitution and targeting Muslims. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not publicly reacting to the the torpedoing of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by US forces near Sri Lanka which had come to India on the country’s invitation.Addressing the Jalsa-e-Youm-ul-Quran public meeting at a masjid in Talabkatta on Friday, Mr Owaisi said the Union government had given ₹63 lakh to a “dubious” organisation he identified as Sanatan Sanstha for a function that was attended by Union and State ministers.He said that speeches at the event included calls to “discard” the Constitution, convert Muslims, and turn India into a “Hindu Rashtra”. He also alleged that participants spoke of deporting Muslims and suggested that fear of the government be instilled in the community so that they leave the fold of Islam.“Funds were given to this kind of organisation, while the government is unable to fund mid-day meals,” he said, adding that there were several adverse allegations against the group. Mr Owaisi asserted that “no power in the world can remove Muslims from Hindustan” and called for the rule of law to be upheld.The Hyderabad parliamentarian also criticised what he said was the silence of the Prime Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leadership over remarks he attributed to United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on not allowing India’s economic rise like China. He alleged that the ruling party speaks negatively about Muslims frequently but fails to respond strongly to statements made by the United States.“If you are so brave, a USA Trade Minister is saying in India that they will not allow India to rise like China. Why? Is India your slave? What is your problem, white man, if India progresses?” he asked.Mr Owaisi alleged that the BJP and the RSS frequently raised issues concerning Muslims but remained silent when such statements were made by the United States. “They have tongues in their mouths but become mute. When it comes to Trump, it is as if he is their big daddy,” he said.Mr Owaisi further referred IRIS Dena that had docked at Visakhapatnam and was later destroyed in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka , claiming that the government must clarify the circumstances of the incident. He said: It is the PM’s constitutional responsibility to tell the country what happened. We are with America in the QUAD. How did USA come so close to our country and sink that vessel that had no weapons, and which came on our invitation?He urged the Prime Minister to address the country on the matter and called for efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia, noting that many Indian expatriates working in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain could be affected by any escalation.Published - March 06, 2026 07:02 pm IST