I would have been jailed immediately if: Waris Pathan demands 'strict action' against Navneet Rana

Waris Pathan

Reacting to BJP leader Navneet Rana's "15 seconds lagenge" remark, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan questioned why the police and the Election Commission have not taken any "action" against her and claimed that if he had said something like this, he would have been "jailed," reported ANI.

In a self-made video, the AIMIM leader said that Rana was making such remarks because she understood that she is badly losing from Amravati seat this time, reported ANI.

"Navneet Rana knows that she is badly losing from Amravati this time. She is unable to accept this and that is why she is uttering all this nonsense. What will you do if the police are removed for 15 seconds? What will she do if the police are removed? Will you kill all Muslims? What are the police and administration doing? Why has no action been taken so far? What is the Election Commission doing? Are such statements allowed in elections? We would like the Election Commissioner to take cognisance of this statement and take strict action. BJP has come to realise that this time it is difficult for them to cross 200-250 seats. If I said something like this, I would have been jailed immediately. Why is everyone silent now?" he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that the BJP is working in the direction of PM Modi to spread "hatred" in the country, reported ANI.

"PM Modi and Amit Shah are spreading hatred in society so it is natural that their workers and candidates are also going to do the same. What Akbaruddin Owaisi has said is wrong and what Navnit Rana has said is also extremely shameful. They are all working in the direction of PM Modi to spread hatred in the country because PM Modi is losing this election badly. I will issue such a request to the Election Commission that both statements should be investigated and action should be taken against them," Prithviraj Chavan said, reported ANI.

Invoking a provocative statement by AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi from 2013, BJP leader Navneet Rana issued a veiled warning to the Owaisi brothers in their stronghold Hyderabad on Wednesday.

To the AIMIM leader's statement that they would take them all of '15 minutes' to balance out the "Hindu-Muslim ratio" in the country, Navneet, who seeking a fresh term in the Lok Sabha from Amravati, on a BJP ticket this time; hit back at the Owaisi brothers, saying "it would take us 15 seconds if the police were removed or made to stand down", reported ANI.

"The younger brother says 'Remove the police for 15 minutes so that we can show them what we can do'. I want to tell the younger brother (Akbaruddin) that it might take you 15 minutes, but it will only take us 15 seconds...it will take us all of 15 seconds if we come to the forefront," Rana was heard saying in a video clip she posted on her X handle, tagging the Owaisi brothers, reported ANI.

At a meeting in 2013, Akbaruddin warned "100 crore Hindus" that his community would show what it could do if the police were withdrawn for '15 minutes', reported ANI.

Asaduddin has been the elected representative from Hyderabad since 2004. He was previously elected as an MLA twice in the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh. Owaisi faces BJP leader Madhavi Latha.

Voting for all 17 seats in Telangana will take place on May 13 in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024.

(With inputs from ANI)