On 6th November, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi alluded to his incendiary “remove police for 15 minutes” remarks made in 2012 while addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously known as Aurangabad).
Referring to the campaigning time, Akbaruddin Owaisi said that there is time till 10 o’clock and it is 9:45, there are still 15 minutes left. Addressing the crowd, he said, “Hey brother, there are 15 minutes left, be patient, neither she is leaving me alone nor I am leaving her alone. She is still walking but what is the echo.”
In 2022, the Court acquitted Akbaruddin Owaisi in two hate speech cases, including his comment about “removing the police for 15 minutes.”
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) November 6, 2024
Now, he has repeated the 15-minute remark in Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/NGVrPLW9wn
As Owaisi signalled to his genocidal “remove police for 15 minutes” remark, the Muslim crowd cheered and applauded with some even screaming “15 minutes, 15 minutes”.
Notably, Owaisi made the inflammatory and inciteful speech against Hindus back in 2012. In his speech, he was seen taking many jibes at Hindu Gods and Goddesses while making an open challenge to Hindus for their survival if the police were to be removed for 15 minutes. He also claimed that he would see how Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister one day.
“Many of such Modis came and went. Today people are saying Narendra Modi has won Gujarat, and that he will become Prime Minister of the country one day, even we will see how that happens. And people are scaring Muslims by saying Modi is here. Modi who? Where did he come from? Dare to come to Hyderabad for one time and we will show you,” he said in his address.
“Taslima Nasreen came and now no one knows where she is. Dear Hindustan, we are 25 crore and you all are 100 crore, right? Fine. You are far ahead of us in numbers. Remove the police for 15 minutes and we will see who is more powerful.” Owaisi Junior’s remarks were received amidst thunderous applause and cheering from the audience which was gathered in large numbers. “Remove the Police for 15 minutes! Be it a thousand, a lakh or even one crore impotent(Hindus), even if they try collectively, they will not be able to give birth to a single one. These people are not able to see us face to face. When the Muslim becomes weak, only then these impotent (Hindus) arrive,” Owaisi remarked in his hateful incitement against Hindus.
In the same speech, Owaisi insinuated against Rama and his mother Devi Kausalya while making an argument against the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
Owaisi in his snide remarks against Hindu Gods said, “They use to say that after every hundred kilometres, the language changes, the culture changes, the way of life and customs change, rituals also change however it is ridiculous that here images of Gods also transform!”
Despite the Hinduphobic and inflammatory nature of his remarks, in 2022, a Hyderabad court acquitted Akbaruddin Owaisi in two hate speech cases related to his 2012 speech.