A sharp political exchange has broken out between AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following Owaisi’s remark that he dreams of seeing a hijab-clad woman become the Prime Minister of India one day.
The controversy began during an election meeting in Solapur, Maharashtra, where Owaisi spoke about what he described as the inclusive nature of the Indian Constitution. Referring to the Constitution framed under the leadership of B. R. Ambedkar, Owaisi said India’s founding document allows any citizen, irrespective of religion, to hold the highest constitutional posts in the country. He contrasted this with Pakistan, where the Constitution restricts the post of Prime Minister to members of a particular religion.
“It is my dream that one day a hijab-clad daughter of this country will become the Prime Minister,” Owaisi said saying that the Constitution makes no distinction based on faith. 
Reacting to this statement, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that while there is no constitutional bar on who can become Prime Minister, India is a Hindu nation rooted in Hindu civilisation. He added that he firmly believes the Prime Minister of India will always be a Hindu. His comments immediately triggered criticism from opposition leaders and civil rights voices, who said such statements go against the secular spirit of the Constitution.
Owaisi hit back a day later while speaking to reporters in Nagpur. Questioning Sarma’s understanding of the Constitution, he said the Chief Minister had taken an oath on it but was misreading its meaning. In a sharp personal remark, Owaisi said there was a “tubelight in his head” and accused Sarma of thinking along the lines of Pakistan’s constitutional framework.
“This country does not belong to just one religion or one community,” Owaisi said. “That is the beauty of India. Even people who do not believe in God have equal rights here.”
The debate also drew reactions from the BJP. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla challenged Owaisi to first appoint a hijab-clad or Pasmanda Muslim woman as the president of his own party before making such statements about the Prime Minister’s post.
The exchange comes at a politically sensitive time, with campaigning underway for Mumbai’s civic elections scheduled for January 15.
