Maharashtra police denies entry to MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in Thane

Maharashtra police on Monday denied entry to the controversial Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi to Thane, a day ahead of his scheduled visit there, by serving him a notice in which they cited alleged hate speeches delivered by him in the past.

However, Owaisi, who represents Chandrayangutta Assembly constituency here, said he would fight out the notice legally.

"The Thane police commissioner Vijay Kamble informed me not to enter the commissionerate limits. I am really surprised to see the notice and the order which has been served to me.

"The notice says that I am attending a public gathering and also delivering a speech. But my real programme in Mumbra is not for addressing any public meeting or giving a public speech, but only for attending an 'Iftaar' party and to meet local people and return," Owaisi told media persons here tonight.

The MIM leader said that he had taken a strong objection to the notice and given a written reply to the Thane police commissioner. "They (police) have mentioned in the notice (denying me the entry) that my provocative speeches in the past had created law and order problems between two communities.

"As a citizen of this country I hold the right to move freely in any part of India and I cannot be stopped from moving freely," he said.

Owaisi said he would challenge the notice in court. "Such things cannot stop me from reaching out to my people and my brothers. I am going to reach out and meet them and I am going to fight for them," he added.