A petition seeking lodging of a case against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief Asaduddin Owaisi was filed in a court in Meerut by a member of Uttar Pradesh Bar Council who alleged his remarks on the
youths held by the National Investigation Agency amounted to treason and promoted terrorism.
"The remark from Owaisi that his party will provide legal aid to five youths arrested by the NIA amounts to treason," the petitioner, Anil Kumar Bakshi, said.
"Owaisi's remark also shows that he is supporting terrorism," he alleged.
According to Bakshi, he filed a complainant with Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate seeking filing of cases under section 114 (abetting the crime), 115 (abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), 117 (abetting commission of offence), 121 (waging against the government of India), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121), 124A (sedition), 131 (abetting mutiny), 132 (abetment of mutiny), and 200 (using as true such declaration knowing it to be false).
Besides, sections 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 153A (act of promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code were also mentioned in the complaint.
The hearing on the complaint will be held on July 6, said the court.
Owaisi on Friday said his party would provide legal help to the youths arrested by the NIA on charges of involvement in an alleged ISIS terror module, but asserted his party does not support terrorism.
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi alleged that Owaisi is giving "oxygen" to terrorists and that he is seen as "standing with extremists".
"Owaisi is directly or indirectly helping the ISIS which had come up with a video in which it threatened to target India. This is betrayal of the country. On the one hand you condemn the ISIS and on the other hand you support those who are involved in such acts.
"One should not stoop down to this level in politics that you are seen standing with terrorism and those who support it. Those who give such statements are giving oxygen to terrorism. You do politics but refrain from actions that make it seem like you are supporting terrorism," Naqvi said.
"The investigating agencies should take action against him within the legal framework. Those who support terrorism directly or indirectly should be condemned," Bharatiya Janata Party National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said before jumping onto anything, Owaisi should have weighed the pros and cons because the evidence suggests that the arrested youths were allegedly planning to carry out terror-related activities during Ramzan.
"The media is clearly pointing towards evidence that clearly seems to suggest that this is the plot and there is evidence to back it up.
"Now before jumping into it, one should weigh the pros and cons because tomorrow if the court finds that the evidence is sufficient, they are convicted for an act of terror, they are sentenced, then Mr Owaisi will definitely answer a question. Was he openly helping terrorist and that he was very eager to help terrorists?" Kohli said.
Sharma said terrorism should not be seen through religion and also took a dig at those who had targeted the Modi government over intolerance issue as he questioned their silence.
