Waris Pathan has come under fire for his recent remarks at a rally in Karnataka. A BJP youth wing leader from Pune on Thursday submitted a complaint to the police at the Deccan Gymkhana station against the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader demanding action for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and outraging religious feelings of a community, reported the New Indian Express.
#WATCH AIMIM leader Waris Pathan: …They tell us that we’ve kept our women in the front – only the lionesses have come out&you’re already sweating. You can understand what would happen if all of us come together. 15 cr hain magar 100 ke upar bhaari hain, ye yaad rakh lena.(15.2) pic.twitter.com/KO8kqHm6Kg
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2020
Addressing an anti-CAA rally he had reportedly said, “The time has now come for us to unite and achieve freedom. Remember we are 15 crore but can dominate over 100 crores. They tell us that we have kept our women in the front – only the lionesses have come out and you are already sweating. You can understand what would happen if all of us come together.”
Parismal Deshpande, the person who lodged the complaint against Pathan said, “The statement by Pathan promotes violence and create a divide between two communities. Because of such statements, there are possibilities of atmosphere getting vitiated. Hence, he should be booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (outraging religious feelings), and 504 (provoking a breach of the peace).”
BJP too, tweeted from its official handle reprimanding Pathan for his statement saying, “Waris Pathan, who are you threatening to? Shiv Sena led government may tolerate your comments, but BJP and people of Maharashtra will teach you a lesson that your hate-mongering speeches will be shut.”
अरे @warispathan कोणाला घाबरवताय ?
शिवसेनेचे महाराष्ट्र सरकार तुमच्या घमक्यांना शांतपणे सहन करेल , पण भाजप व महाराष्ट्राची जनता तुम्हाला असा धडा शिकवणार की तुमची ही भडकाऊ भाषण सुद्धा बंद होतील. https://t.co/UPeWRQoxsh— भाजपा महाराष्ट्र (@BJP4Maharashtra) February 20, 2020
BJP’s Giriraj Singh too took to Twitter insinuating that AIMIM leaders wanted to turn India into Pakistan. Giriraj Singh himself had earlier made a controversial remark calling Deoband where a massive anti-CAA protest is underway, a “Gangotri of terrorism”.
•ओवैसि का भाई :-15 मिनट के लिए पुलिस हटा लो 100Cr. हिंदुओं को बता देंगे।
• वारिस पठान :-15Cr 100Cr. पर भारी पड़ेंगे।
•ओवैसि के मंच से :-पाकिस्तान ज़िंदाबादकांग्रेस आरजेडी और टुकड़े टुकड़े गैंग से पूछना चाहते है “ क्या ये हिंदुस्तान को पाकिस्तान बनाना चाहते हैं”? pic.twitter.com/I3DIQUPAPR
— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) February 21, 2020
However, Pathan issued a clarification in the matter saying that the media reports of his speech circulating through the country quoted him out of context. He said, “I wish to reiterate that I can never say anything intentionally or unintentionally that hurts the sentiments of any caste, community or gender. I am a proud Indian and respect the plurality of this country.”
He admitted that he personally, along with his party stood with the anti-CAA movement and his party had concerns that the Central government was neglecting the issues regarding the same saying, “Neither me nor my party supports anything that creates a divide between people on the basis of caste, creed and religion.”
Our take: The BJP questioning Waris Pathan over hate speech is downright amusing because the BJP in India is one party that has leaders in every corner of the state constantly making communal remarks, especially in the wake of anti-CAA protests. However, Pathan’s comment too shouldn’t be ignored. The people fighting against the CAA are mostly the minorities, a large part of which are Muslims, and Pathan’s statement will just undermine their fight for their rights to remain citizens of their own country. The leaders of minority parties must understand that the rest of the country has mobilised to fight for the cause of the minorities and making such controversial remarks will take away the credibility they have brought to the movement.
Related:
Deoband is a Gangotri of terrorism: BJP’s Giriraj Singh
T Raja Singh says India will be Hindu Rashtra by 2023
Serial hate offender Yati Maharaj spews venom at Muslims at pro-CAA rally
Shia Waqf Board’s Waseem Rizvi calls CAA women protesters “badkirdaar auratein”