A fresh verbal clash has erupted between AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana after the former’s recent speech, where he reportedly referenced his infamous “15 minutes” remark.
In his recent speech, Telangana MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi told the crowd in Maharashtra that there was time till 10 PM for the permitted campaign time to end and it was just 9:45 PM. In an indirect reference to his previous speech, he allegedly said, “Hey brother, there are 15 minutes left, be patient.” Following this, the audience cheered Akbaruddin.
However, BJP leaders quickly connected this statement to Owaisi’s controversial 2013 speech. Citing this response, Telangana BJP took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a video clip of Owaisi’s speech, captioned with the saying, "A dog's tail never straightens," widely understood to be aimed at Owaisi.
Owaisi's Infamous Statement
The controversy started in 2013 after Akbaruddin first made his statement. In 2013, Akbaruddin Owaisi said, "If police is removed for 15 minutes, we (Muslims) will finish 100 crore Hindus."
The statement that they could “finish 100 crore Hindus” was widely condemned. Akbaruddin Owaisi even faced legal battles over his words and was acquitted just two years ago.
Yet, the statement has since reportedly resurfaced several times in the political rhetoric.
In May this year, BJP leader Navneet Rana also referenced the “15 minutes” remark during a rally, warning the Owaisi brothers by countering that it would take “15 seconds”, as per a report on The Hindu. Navneet Rana campaigning in Amravati on BJP ticket said that it would take 15 "seconds" if the police were removed.