AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday, in an utterly unusual way, congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on receiving Uzbekistan’s highest state honor. He said the honor came from the same country from which Mughal emperor Babur originated.
“I congratulate the BJP; the very country from which Babur came to India has conferred an award upon the prime minister. The Fergana Valley is in Uzbekistan,” he said.
Modi was in Uzbekistan on a two-day visit to strengthen the ties in various areas, which included trade, clean energy, and connectivity. The new honors add to his list of top awards from as many as a dozen countries.
Owaisi, while talking about the new award, said, “Wherever the Prime Minister goes these days, he returns with an award. Congratulations.”
Taking a jibe at the BJP, he added, “You used to shower so many insults in Babur’s name, yet the people of that very country are now honoring you with an award.”
“The Sangh needs to reflect on this. You used to abuse us, invoking Babur. And now you have been given a civilian award from the very place where Babur came from. We hope that people of the Sangh Parivar and those who support the RSS will no longer take Babur’s name in this manner, because the Fergana Valley is there, in Uzbekistan. Now what will they say? he added.
PM Modi was honored with Uzbekistan’s highest honor for foreign leaders on Sunday, ‘Oliy Darajali Do’stlik.’ The honor comes ahead of his visit to the Central Asian country.
After receiving the award, Prime Minister Modi posted on the social media platform, “Honored to receive the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order. I dedicate this to the enduring bond between India and Uzbekistan.”
“My friend, the father of the economic revolution in Uzbekistan, who has served as a role model across this entire region in scaling new heights of development—this two-day visit of mine will always be remembered,” PM Modi said, calling President Mirziyoyev his friend.
“On behalf of all Indians, I sincerely thank the people of Uzbekistan, the government, and my dear friend, the president. I accept this highest honor with utmost humility and dedicate it to the centuries-old friendship between our two countries and our shared heritage,” he said.
Earlier this year in July, Prime Minister Modi was honored in July with its highest civilian award, ‘Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia.’ In June, Seychelles honored its highest national honor, and earlier than this, Israel honored him with the ‘Medal of the Knesset.’
