# Owaisi accuses RSS and BJP of preferring Manusmriti over Constitution 2026-08-26T03:11:59+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has accused the RSS and BJP of historically favouring the Manusmriti over the Indian Constitution drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar. Speaking at the Jalsa-e-Rahmatul-lil-Alameen in Hyderabad on Eid Milad-un-Nabi eve, Owaisi said the RSS mouthpiece published a complaint against the Constitution four days after its adoption on November 26, 1949, arguing it should have been the Manusmriti. He also attacked Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar for writing to the British from jail seeking release, contrasting him with Muslim freedom fighters who resisted. Owaisi claimed the first prisoner sent to the Andaman Islands was Maulvi Alauddin, the Imam of Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid. The remarks come as the BJP and Congress clash over the Manusmriti. Rahul Gandhi recently criticised a Manusmriti passage that denies women independence, calling it a shame and urging the smashing of patriarchy. BJP leaders accused Gandhi of undermining India's traditions and civilisational values. Times of India and Livemint both report the exchange. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets report Owaisi's speech and the wider political fight neutrally. Times of India leads with Owaisi's attack on RSS and BJP, including his full quotes on Savarkar and Maulvi Alauddin. Livemint frames the story similarly but adds a definition of Manusmriti and a note on Eid Milad-un-Nabi, giving more context to readers. Neither outlet includes a BJP or RSS response to Owaisi's specific allegations, leaving his claims unchallenged in these reports. The coverage suggests the political slugfest over constitutional values versus traditional texts is now a multi-party contest, with the next flashpoint likely during the ongoing parliamentary session. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Leads with Owaisi's full quotes, no editorialising. - livemint.com (neutral report) Adds background definitions, straight news style. This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-26T04:02:11+00:00. Tags: Asaduddin Owaisi, B.R. Ambedkar, BJP, Manusmriti, Rahul Gandhi, RSS Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/owaisi-attacks-rss-bjp-over-manusmriti-defends-ambedkar-constitution/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/owaisi-attacks-rss-bjp-over-manusmriti-defends-ambedkar-constitution/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/