Owaisi's message to Turkey: '220 million Muslims in India'
What's the story
Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi has criticized Turkey for supporting Pakistan, asking it to reconsider its position.
He pointed out that India has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan and reminded Turkey of India's historical connections with the country.
"Turkey must reconsider its stance of supporting Pakistan," he said, adding that there are many historical ties between India and Turkey.
Historical connections
Owaisi highlights historical ties between India and Turkey
Owaisi also spoke about Isbank, a bank that once had depositors from India. He said, "There is a bank called Isbank, where earlier depositors included people from India."
He added that even until 1990, Turkish was taught in Ladakh.
"Until 1920, people from northern Turkey used to come to Ladakh and then travel to Mumbai to perform Hajj," he said.
Population disparity
Owaisi emphasizes India's Muslim population, criticizes Pakistan
Owaisi also emphasized that there are 220 million Muslims in India, more than in Pakistan.
He said, "This whole bogey of Pakistan being a Muslim country is misleading. There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan, and Pakistan has nothing to do with Islam at all."
His comments come amid calls in India to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan for their support of Pakistan after recent events like Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack.
Strained ties
India-Turkey relations strained amid boycott calls
The calls for a boycott have led to canceled trips, halted academic collaborations, and the suspension of Celebi Aviation's license.
The public outcry has also highlighted India's help to Turkey during the 2023 earthquake, raising questions about reciprocity in their relations.
However, so far, there has been no formal response from the Indian central government on this issue.
Academic fallout
Indian universities sever ties with Turkish, Azerbaijani institutions
Several Indian universities have also decided to sever ties with Turkish and Azerbaijani institutions.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Lovely Professional University (LPU) are among those that have suspended or terminated collaborations.
LPU has specifically ended all partnerships over concerns about Turkey's and Azerbaijan's diplomatic stances supporting Pakistan amid recent geopolitical tensions.