Waris Pathan says he was misquoted after making controversial '15 cr Muslims' remark

NEW DELHI: After making a controversial statement on 15 crore Muslims outweighing 100 crore Hindus, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan said that his statement which was made in the public meeting at Gulbarga has been totally misquoted.

"I hereby wish to state that the media reports on TV channels showing my statement made in the public meeting at Gulbarga five days back have totally quoted me out of context. 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 respects the plurality of this country," he said.

“I am a proud Indian and respect the plurality of this country. But yes, I am angry just like many other Indians, who believe in the Constitution of this country, the sheer neglect by the Govt in addressing the issues concerning CAA/NRC and NPA against which people have been protesting across the country in a democratic way,” he added.

https://twitter.com/warispathan/status/1230521008378875904

In a video that has now been circulated widely through social media, Pathan is seen using some very strong words against people of a certain religion. "Now time has come, we are told that we have sent our mothers and sisters in the front and were sitting covered in blanket...only our lionesses have come out and you are already sweating, understand what will happen if we come together. (We may be) 15 crore, but are heavy on 100 (crore), remember it," he is heard saying.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM has also spoken about BJP’s naming/renaming of places of significance, an effort that he says is aimed towards saffronisation of the country.

AIMIM, Pathan’s party, has been at the forefront of anti-CAA, anti-NRC and anti-NPR agitations against the BJP government.

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