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Owaisi, who has been booked at three police stations, arrived from London this morning at the airport where a large number of his supporters had gathered.
His counsel immediately filed an application at Nirmal police in Adilabad district seeking four days' time to appear before the police citing health grounds.
A few hours later, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA, who is also his party's floor leader in the Andhra Pradesh state assembly, moved a petition through his counsel in the High Court contending that he has been implicated in these cases due to political reasons.
In his petition, Owaisi's counsel claimed that, "He is an MLA and he is available to the investigation at any time and that there is no need to arrest him.
"Despite the police registering suo-motu cases at Nirmal and Nizamabad police stations, more complaints were being lodged at different places and he sought quashing of all the FIRs registered in Andhra Pradesh," he counsel said in his petition.
The High Court posted the matter to January 9.
Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu accused the Congress of going soft on Owaisi's MIM as both are still alliance partners in Hyderabad and hit out against the Andhra Pradesh government for allegedly failing to take prompt action over his alleged "hate speech".
"Why this delay in taking action? Why this lenient attitude when there is universal condemnation of his highly objectionable comments? It is the Congress which helped MIM grow? They still share power in Hyderabad corporation. Is this the reason why they are soft," he told reporters here.
MIM had recently withdrawn support to the Congress both at the Centre and state, but both the parties continue to share power in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Earlier, one of Owaisi's counsel appeared before the investigation officer of Nirmal (Rural) Police and submitted the application seeking four days' time for his appearance. The police which issued an acknowledgement, however, has yet to take a decision on Owaisi's request.
A senior police officer told PTI from Adilabad that Owaisi did not turn up before them, though one of his counsel represented the MIM leader. "We are discussing his request," the police officer said.
When asked about Owaisi's "failure" to appear before the police despite being served a notice, the police officer said that "It is the prerogative of the investigating officer (IO) of the Nirmal police, on how the course of investigation will proceed".
The police, who anticipated trouble in view of Owaisi's appearance in Nirmal town, had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, even as scores of BJP workers demanding his immediate arrest held demonstrations and tried to lay seige to the police station, while Owaisi's counsel reached there.
The police resorted to mild caning to disperse protesting BJP workers, even as shops and business establishments remained closed in Nirmal town.
Similar protests were held by the BJP and its front organisations in Adilabad, Hyderabad and Nizamabad, as well as other districts demanding his arrest.
The police also took into custody 15 protesters for violating prohibitory orders. Meanwhile, Akbaruddin Owaisi's brother and MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said they are not going to run away from the situation.
Earlier, Akbaruddin Owaisi was accorded a grand reception by his party workers and hundreds of supporters after his arrival at the Shamshabad airport here, early morning. A medical team from Owaisi Hospital also went to his house in Banjara Hills and examined him.
Akbaruddin Owaisi, who represents the Chandrayangutta assembly constituency, has been booked under IPC Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
He has also been booked under IPC Section 121 (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India).
Our leaders don't give hate speech, claim Shiv Sena, MNS
Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray-led MNS today claimed their leaders had never given hate speech and they only highlighted key issues of the day.
"Shiv Sena never indulged in hate and inflammatory speeches. It is a patriotic party," Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.
Maintaining that it was Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM)MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi who had delivered inflammatory speeches,Raut rued that no action had been taken against the Andhra Pradesh legislator or his party till now.
"Shiv Sena always spoke and attacked the enemies of this country," said Raut, whose party has been in the past accused of indulging in minority-bashing.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Bala Nandgaonkar said, "We spoke on the real issues confronting the state."
Without naming any person or community, he asked "Who is responsible for the present situation in the country. From where does the criminals and terrorists come?"
"We never gave hate speeches," he claimed.
Two days ago, MNS chief Raj Thackeray courted a fresh controversy by stating that "Bihari" migrants were responsible for the gangrape of the 23-year-old para-medical student in Delhi last month.
Last week, the Supreme Court sought a reply from the Election Commission on a plea seeking derecognition of Shiv Sena and MNS Sena as political parties for the alleged hate speeches delivered by their top leaders recently.
This bummer Owaisi in his speech declared that mumbai terrorist attack was a reaction to Babri mosque demolition. Well Mr hater owaisi, if we use your own logic, then should hindus in India take revenge for every hindu head chopped by barbaric muslim invader rulers? If that starts happening, then where will you be? If hate mongering is your way to power, then you are sadly mistaken. Just look at Pak. Their hate is now burning their very soverignity and their very existance as a country. Pak thrived on hatred and communal card. Now, they are branded terrorist country and their existance itself in danger. So Owaisi dear, STFU and stop your communal, hatred crap. Go hide in some terrorist's tail if that helps you. Stop your hatred.
india is now the house of all dirty politicians..they only know their parties ....India is not going to be changed until we bring change in politics..and this time we must give a chance to a new party called AAM ADMI
Another shameful incident under this spineless government. They don't even have the courage to confront and arrest a person so randomly spreading hatred and negativism. He should have been treated like a hardcore criminal but really what can you expect from the govt. who took years to eliminate a proven terrorist like Kasab. Absolutely weak, disgusting and shameful.
It's obvious that BJP would condemn it.But where are the other so-called secular parties?When will they gain courage to criticize such comments?When will they be able to overcome the fear of loosing muslim votes?
Communalism and hate speeches are always a big hit in the Indian politics. They are short-cut to reach to the corridors of POWER in a shortest possible time. Looking at the BJP in particular, which was having 2 seats in the Parliament at one time, and due to it's communal and hate politics, the party has won number of parliamentary seats and ultimately formed the Government at center many times. No doubt, owaisi's speech was extremely objectionable and should be condemned and he should be punished at all levels. But BJP has no moral right to object to this kind of cheap and communal politics. Mr. Naidu, please keep away from critizing Owaisi, coz you both are two sides of a same coin.
