Akbaruddin Owaisi

Who is Akbaruddin Owaisi?

Akbaruddin Owaisi is an Indian politician based in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and an MLA of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He belongs to All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin and is its floor leader in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Akbaruddin is a member of the Owaisi family, being the son of Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi and the younger brother of Asaduddin Owaisi.

Owaisi is known for making provocative and inflammatory speeches. In 2007, he threatened to carry out the fatwa to kill Salman Rushdie and behead Taslima Nasreen if they ever visited Hyderabad. In 2011, he said that he would have killed P V Narasimha Rao with his own hands had he not died. In 2012, Owaisi made several hate speeches disparaging Hindus and Hindu beliefs, in one of which he said that the 250 million Muslims of India needed only fifteen minutes without police to show the one billion Hindus of India who is more powerful. He was arrested on 8 January 2013, and was housed in the Adilabad district jail for 40 days before being released on bail on 16 February 2013. The court approved bail for Akbaruddin Owaisi on health grounds on 15 February 2013. He is under trial and is accused of sedition, criminal conspiracy, spreading communal hatred, waging war against India and some other charges.