Amid the ongoing fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024, BJP candidate Madhavi Latha stirred controversy after a video of her checking voter IDs of Muslim women at a polling booth in Hyderabad went viral on social media. In the video shared by news agency ANI, Latha was seen allegedly removing the burqa of Muslim women to verify their voter ID cards at a polling booth in Azampur constituency.
Defending her actions, Latha stated that as a candidate, she had the right to verify ID cards without face masks, pointing out that she approached the women with humility.
#WATCH | Telangana: BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Madhavi Latha visits a polling booth in the constituency. Voting for the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2024 is underway. pic.twitter.com/BlsQXRn80C
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024
“I am a candidate. As per law, a candidate has the right to check the ID cards without the facemasks. 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 also alleged that 90 percent of booths are compromised. "90% of booths are compromised. Police do not want to instruct female constables to check the face with the voter ID. When I asked the police officer, he said it's not his responsibility," she said.
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However, following the incident, a case was filed against Madhavi Latha at Malakpet Police Station under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act.
Reacting to the incident, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused the BJP of attempting to polarise Muslim votes, asserting that such actions would benefit Owaisi.
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#WATCH | On being asked about a video where BJP candidate Madhavi Latha is seen checking IDs of voters, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy says "I have not seen (the video) but BJP is simply trying to polarise Muslim votes to win but all these issues are going to help Asaduddin Owaisi.… https://t.co/5mxmhiBWL7 pic.twitter.com/YcgziKLAHe
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Madhavi Latha is contesting against AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and BRS' Gaddam Srinivas Yadav for the Hyderabad seat. PM Modi, Amit Shah and other BJP stalwarts have campaigned for Madhavi Lata.
All 17 parliamentary constituencies in Telangana are up for polls today in the fourth phase of voting. The results will be announced on June 4.