Owaisi's AIMIM seeks votes by making religious appeals, party must be quashed: PIL in Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: A petition has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the registration of Asaduddin Owaisi's political outfit All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). 

The petition states that the foundation of AIMIM is communal and it is bound to violate free and fair election. The plea quotes Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act which prohibits to seek votes by making religious appeals. 

The Delhi High Court will take up the matter for hearing next week.

A petition had been filed against Owaisi in August before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Bankshall Court in Kolkata for 'communal statements at a rally in Hyderabad on August 5.' Offences under section 153A/295A of the Indian Penal Code have been added in the petition, and the AIMIM chief has been summoned before the court on September 1.

Few days after a Muslim man was forced to shave off his beard following an altercation in Gurugram, Owaisi had threatened the accused that he would be "converted to Islam". Strongly reacting to the incident, Owaisi further said that he would make the accused grow a beard.

"Muslim man's beard was shaved off. Those who did it, I am telling them and their fathers, even if you slit our throat, we'll be Muslims. We will convert you to Islam and will make you keep a beard," he said.

The incident took place in Gurugram's Sector 29 when three people allegedly dragged a Muslim man to a salon and forced him to shave off his beard. 

(With ANI inputs)