Petition seeks action against Owaisi for remarks against PM

A petition in Bombay High Court today sought criminal action against Akbaruddin Owaisi, Telangana MLA and brother of All India Majlis-e-Ittihad Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during electioneering in Bihar.

The petition, filed by Conscious Citizen Forum, is slated to come up for hearing tomorrow before a bench headed by Justice Ranjit More.

The Forum alleged that Owaisi had defamed Modi by calling him names in an election speech beamed by a television channel and also alleging that he was involved in Gujarat riots in the past.

The petition said that the Forum had approached Mumbai police to file an FIR against Akbaruddin Owaisi but no action had been taken so far. Aggrieved, the Forum had filed a writ petition in the High Court.

The petition contended that the remarks of Owaisi had hurt the sentiments of the people and that politicians should be restrained from making personal attacks against each other during election campaigns.

It also urged the court to lay down guidelines for the politicians who address gatherings during election campaign.