Separate complaints were filed in Allahabad High Court and the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court of lucknow, against Majlis Ittehadul Musalmeen (MIM) and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi for provocative statements. Owaisi had said that he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ even if a knife is put to his throat at latur (Maharashtra) on Monday.
The complaints were filed under Sections 124 A of the IPC. If the complaints are admitted, then the MIM leader will face charges of Sedition. In his response to the complaints, a mocking Owaisi chanted `Jai Hind’ and said that he has full faith in the judiciary.
Section 124-A of the IPC says : “Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or without fine.”
At latur, while reacting to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion that te new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing Mother India to infuse patriotism, Owisi has said, “I will not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ even if you put a knife on my throat. I won’t utter that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahib. Nowhere in the Constitution has it said that one has to chant the slogan to hail Mother India.”
BVy Monday evening, Owaisi’s statement drew sharp condemnation from RSS, BJP and Shiv Sena while the MIM leader stood by his words.