'Where Did Mosque Come From?' BJP Candidate Madhavi Latha On Row Over Her Viral Video Of 'Imaginary Arrow'

BJP’s candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, Madhavi Latha‘s gesture of pretending to draw and fire an arrow near a mosque during an election rally landed her in controversy. A video showing Madhavi Latha directing an imaginary arrow at a mosque in Hyderabad during a Ram Navami procession on Wednesday surfaced on the internet.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is contesting against Madhavi Latha from the Hyderabad seat, condemned the action and called it “vulgar, obscene, and provocative”. He accused the BJP and the RSS of wanting to “disturb the peace of the city”.

“BJP, RSS people have shown provocative actions, I appeal to the youth of Hyderabad, you observe what the BJP and RSS are doing to the peace of Hyderabad, and utilise your vote accordingly. The BJP and RSS want to disturb the peace of the city. You want to spoil the people of Hyderabad. People have seen their actions. Is this Narendra Modi’s ‘Sabka saath, Sabka Vikas’?” Owaisi said.

In a 10-second clip that has gone viral, Madhavi Latha pretends to draw an arrow from a quiver on her back, notches the pretend arrow, and then fires the imaginary weapon. Loud music is played at the time and the camera pans to show the mosque after she fires the ‘arrow’.

AIMIM spokesperson Waris Pathan accused the BJP of “trying to create a communal set-up in the country”

“What is the Election Commission doing? She is a BJP candidate and the gesture she is showing towards a mosque is totally unacceptable,” Pathan told India Today TV.

BJP leader Madhavi Latha reacts to controversy

After criticism of her actions, BJP leader Madhavi Latha took to the microblogging site X and clarified it was an “incomplete” video.

“It has come to my notice that a video of mine is being circulated in the media to create negativity. I would like to clarify that this is an incomplete video and if anyone’s feelings are hurt due to such a video, I would like to apologise…” she wrote in an X post.

Later, Madhavi Latha claimed a “conspiracy against us (the BJP)… because we work well with both Hindu and Muslim brothers”.

“Yesterday, on the occasion of Ram Navami, I was gesturing shooting an (imaginary) arrow towards the sky. I released that arrow towards a building, that’s it. Where did the mosque come from?” the BJP leader was quoted by PTI as saying.

“These people (AIMIM) always resort to hateful speeches to side-line BJP leaders here and divert people’s attention. They have become experts in inciting the youth. This is a conspiracy…” she added.

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