Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Hyderabad, K Madhavi Latha, has sparked controversy after a video emerged showing her checking identity cards of burqa-clad Muslim women at a polling booth and asking them to lift or remove their veil.
The incident, which has gone viral on social media, has led to a case being registered against Madhavi Latha at the Malakpet Police Station under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act.
In the video, Madhavi Latha is seen specifically asking burqa-clad Muslim women to remove their 'niqab' or face veil for verification. "Uthaiye aap (lift this up)," she is heard saying to the women, gesturing towards their veils as she checks their voter ID cards.
Watch the video here:
Defending her actions, Madhavi Latha told news agency ANI, "I am a candidate. As per the law, a candidate has the right to check ID cards without face masks." She claimed that asking the Muslim women to remove their burqas shouldn't be a big deal as she is a woman too.
"I am not a man, I am a woman and with a lot of humbleness, I have only requested them - can I please see and verify with the ID cards. If somebody wants to make a big issue out of it, that means they are scared," she said.
Madhavi Latha is contesting against four-time MP from Hyderabad and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls, which is underway today.
This is not the first time Madhavi Latha has been embroiled in controversy. On April 17, a video purportedly showed her symbolically shooting an arrow in the direction of a mosque during the Sri Rama Navami rally. She later apologised and claimed that the video clip was incomplete.
Voting began at 7:00 am for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 25 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.
