Was Asaduddin Owaisi’s grandfather a Hindu Brahmin? AIMIM chief reacts to social media claim

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Amid an escalating discourse surrounding lineage and religious heritage, has responded to a social media claim that Hindu Brahmin Tulsiramdas was his great-grandfather. The assertion of such lineage by the claim was met with a pointed remark from Owaisi. He expressed wry amusement at the persistent trend among some quarters to ascribe a Brahmin ancestry to him even in fabricated genealogies.

The claim in question arises in the wake of a statement made by Jammu and Kashmir leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently remarked that every individual born in India is inherently Hindu. This proclamation has sparked debates on the interplay between religious heritage and contemporary identities.

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Owaisi, taking to his Twitter platform, responded to the prevailing discussions by affirming the intrinsic shared human heritage while underlining his commitment to the democratic struggle for equal rights and citizenship of Muslims. He emphasised that such a pursuit is a testament to the essence of modern India, and should not be construed as being antagonistic towards Hinduism.

Ghulam Nabi Azad's earlier statement sparked controversy as he stated that the majority of Muslims in India were descendants of converts from Hinduism, excluding only a minority who migrated from outside the subcontinent. This perspective triggered reactions from multiple political quarters.

The online post that ignited this discourse contended that Muslims today have Hindu ancestors and were subject to forced conversions. It pointed to historical figures' lineage, such as Farooq Abdullah's great-grandfather Balmukund Kaul and M. Jinnah's father Jinnabhai Khoja.

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What happened in 2017?

Owaisi has faced claims about his lineage previously as well. Notably, in 2017, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha suggested that Owaisi's lineage could be traced to a Brahmin ancestor in Hyderabad who converted to Islam. Owaisi had responded by asserting a universal ancestry tracing back to Prophet Adam.