Congress to take action against Owaisi for 'hate speech'

Hyderabad: The Congress has finally promised to take action against Akbaruddin Owaisi, brother of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi, for the alleged hate speech he made against a community on December 24, 2012, in Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh.

"We are collecting evidence to build a strong FIR and a water-tight case where we can book the person causing hatred," said Abid R Khan, General Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, according to CNN-IBN.

"Yes there has been a criminal complaint filed. We will abide by whatever the court decides. (I) do not want to comment any further as it is now sub judice," Akbaruddin's brother Asaduddin Owaisi said.

The junior Owaisi, who is an MLA in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, representing the Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad, had made the incendiary speech, using inflammatory and derogatory words, calling on Muslims to take arms against Hindus. A Hyderabad court has also admitted a criminal complaint against Owaisi.

The complaint against him has been filed under Section 295A and 153A of Indian Penal Code that call such acts as malicious and hurtful to other religion besides promoting enmity between groups.

This is not the first time he is courting controversy. In 2007, he and his supporters roughed up Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, for her anti-Muslim views.

Meanwhile, actor and director Farhan Akhtar tweeted, "how can 2 girls be arrested in less than 24 hrs for a harmless FB post but Owaisi roams free after his blatantly communal rant? #JustAsking."

Shabana Azmi tweeted that the fight should now be between liberal Muslims and Hindus on one side and extremist Hindus and Muslim on the other side.

"Owaisi's hate speech must not go unpunished," she said.

The BJP has sought criminal action against Owaisi.

It is almost 10 days later that the criminal court has admitted a complaint and Congress has demanded strict action against Owaisi for promoting enmity between communities.