File photo of AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi. (Agence France-Presse)
Controversy is not new to Akbaruddin Owaisi and on Monday he stoked it with a comment on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS being a club of bachelors.
His party, the Majlis-ittehadul Muslimeen or MIM as it is popularly known, was celebrating its 57th formation day at its party headquarters in Hyderabad where the younger Owaisi made the remark.
The MIM's lawmaker and floor leader in Telangana Assembly said those who advocate more children were themselves bachelors and therefore not qualified to make the comment. They don't take any responsibility or face problems of life but are advising others, he said sarcastically. He said there were not sufficient resources to support the children by providing them education and jobs.
BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj had recently said that every Hindu woman must produce four children.
Akbaruddin Owaisi is the younger brother of Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi who is also the president of the party. With the senior Owaisi suffering a throat ache, the younger Owaisi became the voice of the party.
Mr Owaisi said all Muslims should be united while maintaining that his party would fight against "communal politics".
If they are not united, there is a probability that the ''identity of Muslims will be in danger," he warned.
Mr Owaisi also said his party would contest elections in West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
"MIM will work for the uplift of Dalits and fight for their rights," he said. The party had in fact nominated Dalit candidates to some local elections trying to win the support of the marginalised group.