Waris Pathan is the national spokesperson of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). He is currently in the eye of the storm over his remarks that he gave in the Kalaburagri, Karnataka.
Pathan made the controversial remark while addressing an Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act rally in Kalaburagi on February 6, when he said , "We are just 15 crore, but we can be heavy on the 100 crore," referring to the Muslim and Hindu population in the country, respectively.
Pathan's past controversies
Pathan's remarks caused widespread outrage and he has been widely criticised. The FIR has been filed and Pathan has now been booked by the Kalaburgi police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
However, this is not the first time that the 53-year-old political leader has landed in a controversy.
In 2016, Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for refusing to chant the slogan "Bharat Mata ki Jai" when asked to do so by Bhartiya Janta Party MLA Ram Kadam.
He later said, "I love my country. I was born here and I will die here, but will not say Bharat Mata ki Jai. I can never dream of insulting my country. Don't judge anyone's love for the country by just one slogan."
Two years later, in 2018, while visiting a Ganesh Pandal in his constituency, he chanted "Ganpati Bappa Morya" during Ganpati celebrations.
Later, however, after receiving flak from the party, Pathan released a video and tendered an apology.
Then he had said, "Yes, I accept my mistake. Won't do it again. I am also a human and as human beings, we all commit mistakes. Even I did and regret it. I know Allah will forgive me and so will you all."
Over time, Pathan has made frequent guest appearances on news channels partaking in talk shows. He has a robust social media presence and regularly posts content on the microblogging website.
Pathan contested the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly election from Byculla but lost to Shiv Sena's Yamini Yadav by a margin of over 20, 000 votes.
