EC issues notices to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over ‘Communal’ remarks in UP

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday issued notices to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Apna Dal Kamerawadi district president Dilip Patel for alleged communal statements during a public meeting in Varanasi three days ago.

The move comes after the BJP legal cell lodged a complaint against Owaisi and Patel for hurting religious sentiments of people through their inflammatory speeches at a meeting on April 25. Following an initial probe, the EC has now issued notices to the two leaders.

At the public meeting of PDM Nyay Morcha in Natiimli in Varanasi, Owaisi and leaders of Apna Dal Kamerawadi had fiercely attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party and other parties.

Owaisi had alleged that deceased



gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was poisoned in jail. He had called Ansari a 'martyr' and said that martyrs never die. He also said that it was BJP government's responsibility to provide security to Ansari but it failed.

Also, Owaisi had said that PM Modi has only one guarantee and that's hatred towards Muslims.

BJP legal cell official Shashank Shekhar Tripathi lodged a complaint against the statements that were made at the meeting. "PM Modi has been falsely accused. This is a vicious circle to trick and change Muslim opinion. It's a sheer violation of the model code of conduct," Tripathi said.

On the basis of Tripathi's complaint, deputy collector Neeraj Prasad said that after watching the videos of the speeches, notices have been served to both the leaders.