Mumtaz Patel countered on Owaisi’s statement of ‘PM with Hijab’, said- ‘Why such fanatic thinking?’

Asaduddin Owaisi’s statement has created a stir in the political circles, in which he had said that one day a woman wearing hijab will become the Prime Minister of India. Now veteran Congress leader Mumtaz Patel has given a sharp reaction on this. Mumtaz termed Owaisi’s statement as ‘extreme’ i.e. fundamentalist thinking and showed him a mirror.

The criterion should be ability, not identity.

Mumtaz Patel said in clear words that our Constitution gives equal rights to every citizen. No matter what religion, community or identity anyone belongs to, he can contest elections and become the Prime Minister of the country. But Owaisi’s emphasis only on ‘Hijab’ is wrong. Mumtaz raised the question that why only women wearing hijab are being talked about? Are women without hijab or any other identity not eligible for this position? He stressed that no one’s worth should be determined by his identity or clothing.

Politics of hatred and reference to the Constitution

Taking his point forward, the Congress leader also took on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He said that the Constitution of India does not recognize this country as a ‘Hindu nation’, because this country belongs as much to Hindus as it does to all other communities. Mumtaz believes that such extreme and inflammatory statements should not be politicized. She says that the issue should be that every woman should get equal opportunities to move forward, and not vote bank politics by making her identity an issue.

#WATCH Delhi: On AIMIM Chief Owaisi’s statement, Congress leader Mumtaz Patel says, "…His statement on hijab-clad women becoming Prime Minister is an extreme one. Our Constitution gives equal rights to everyone, and no matter what community they belong to, anyone can contest… pic.twitter.com/g4vU4maaOt

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2026

What was that famous statement of Owaisi?

Let us tell you that AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi had made this claim during an election rally in Solapur, Maharashtra. He had said that he would like to see a hijab-wearing woman occupy the chair of the Prime Minister of India in his lifetime, or perhaps after that. While comparing the constitutions of India and Pakistan, Owaisi had said that here the doors of high positions are open for people of every religion, whereas this is not the case in Pakistan.