‘Arrow towards mosque’ gesture lands BJP’s Hyderabad candidate and Owaisi challenger in hot water
Issuing an explanation, Kompella Madhavi Latha said ‘incomplete video’ being circulated to ‘create negativity’
3 min read
Kompella Madhavi Latha was participating in a Ram Navmi procession near Siddiamber Bazaar Junction in old Hyderabad, and riding an open-top vehicle. (Video grab)The BJP candidate from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Kompella Madhavi Latha, has courted controversy after a video of her gesturing to shoot an arrow, purportedly in the direction of a mosque, came to light.
Latha was participating in a Ram Navmi procession near Siddiamber Bazaar Junction in old Hyderabad, and riding an open-top vehicle. The rally had been organised by BJP MLA T Raja Singh.
During the festivities, the mosque had been covered in white cloth to avoid communal tensions. The BJP candidate, who has in the past spoken about her work for Pasmanda Muslims and who has been picked to take on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi from the seat, took to X to issue an explanation.
“It has come to my notice that one video of mine is being circulated in media to create negativity. I would like to clarify that it’s an incomplete video and even because of such video if any one’s sentiments are hurt then I would like to apologise as I respect all individuals,” she wrote.
Speaking to reporters, Owaisi called Latha’s gesture provocative, objectionable and vulgar, and appealed to the electorate to vote for peace and prosperity of Hyderabad. He also questioned the Election Commission, the Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, the District Election Officer and the Chief Electoral Officer for not taking suo motu action against the BJP candidate.
An AIMIM official said they would write to the Election Commission of India and lodge a police complaint against her.
An EC spokesperson did not respond to request for a comment on whether the EC had received a complaint on the incident and taken any action.
The 49-year-old describes herself as a “daughter of RSS”, a “typical traditional Indian woman”, an entrepreneur, hospital administrator, and a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
A political novice, she shot to the limelight after the BJP picked as a challenger to Owaisi, whose party has held on to the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat since 1984. Earlier this month, she had earned praise from the PM for her appearance on a TV show.
In an interview to The Indian Express earlier, she said the BJP ticket to contest was an acknowledgment of 18 years of charity work done by her, and another example of the party’s ability to recognise the potential of people.
“The BJP would not have picked me at all if Hindu-Muslim was my poll issue. The party knows I work with a lot of Muslims and I am compassionate towards them. I have been a fierce critic of triple talaq. If I can go on a hunger strike for a temple, I will do the same for a Muslim woman,” she had said.
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