Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Navneet Ravi Rana on Thursday, May 8, made communally provocative remarks while attacking All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader (AIMIM ) Akbaruddin Owaisi and Asaduddin Owaisi. The actor-turned-politician who was in Hyderabad campaigning for BJP’s candidate K Madhavi Latha said “just fifteen seconds would be enough to display the strength of Hindus.” The BJP leader was referring to an old communal statement made by Akbaruddin Owaisi. In 2013, Akbaruddin Owaisi said that if the police were withdrawn for 15 minutes, the Muslims of the country would show their power to Hindus.
To this, she said, “It will take you 15 minutes…but if you withdraw police it will only take us 15 seconds for us to show where they have come from and where they ended up.”
She claimed that the voting should take place in Hyderabad to prevent it from becoming “Pakistan.” In violation of the Model Code of Conduct, she sought votes based on religion.
“This time the voting should be done to stop Hyderabad from becoming Pakistan, to consolidate Hindu votes and elect Madhavi Latha.”
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has been winning the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency since 1989. Assadudin Owasisi is contesting from the seat for the fifth time against BJP nominee K Madhavi Latha.
On Thursday, Asaduddin Owaisi responded to Navneet Rana’s remark and said, "I say, PM Modi to give her 15 seconds or even 1 hour. We too want to see if there is any humanity left in you. Who is scared? Someone is making an open call. Who is stopping you...Tell us where to come, we will be there. The government is theirs. They have RSS and everything. "