Patna: Authorities in India have issued a warrant for politician Akbaruddin Owaisi.
The controversial All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) lawmaker from Telangana faces arrest for allegedly making provocative remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election rally in Bihar this weekend.
The arrest order was issued against Akbaruddin, younger brother of MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on Wednesday, after a case was formally registered with the local police following instructions from the Election Commission.
The case was registered against the Telanagna lawmaker in eastern Bihar’s Kishanganj district on Tuesday under various sections of the Representations of People’s Act and Indian Penal Code.
“Orders have been issued for Akbaruddin’s arrest and he will be arrested very soon. We have already formed a police team to nab him,” Kishanganj district superintendent of police Rajiv Ranjan told journalists on Wednesday.
He said the local administration had paid close attention to his speech in view of instructions from the Election Commission.
The MIM leader in his election speeches described Modi as a “shaitan” (devil) and “darinda” (barbarian), in complete violations of the model code.
The MIM is contesting six seats in Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region of Bihar.
The MIM chief said the matter was being looked into by a legal team of the party.
“The legal team of our party is trying to get the certified copy of the FIR and it depends upon them,” Owaisi told journalists in Hyderabad, refusing to comment on what kind of language should or should not be used.
Cases have also been registered the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad for making derogatory remarks against each other in their election rallies on the instruction of the Election Commission.
Shah in his election speech had addressed the RJD chief as “chara chor” (fodder thief) whereas the latter had addressed former as “nar bhakshi” (man eater), according to an official press release from the Election Commission. Shah had passed such remark at his election rally held in Begusarai district on September 30 while the RJD president had used foul language against the BJP chief at his election rally held in Jamui district on October 4.
The language being used by the politicians has touched a new low during the run-up to the election in Bihar amid a tight contest between the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance and Nitish Kumar-led Grand Secular Alliance.
