AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi is in the news for making a blatantly communal speech in Maharashtra's Nanded. His aim is clearly to polarize Muslims in favour of anti-BJP and anti-Shiv Sena block weeks ahead of the Assembly elections in the State.

Owaisi openly pitched for the consolidation of Muslim votes in order to elect Muslim representatives to Assemblies and Parliament. He suggested that those Muslims who vote for Narendra Modi's BJP are 'chhakkas', which is an offensive term to deride the sexual minorities (transgenders).

"Owaisi's speech was unmistakably regressive, bigoted and pro-Islamist. He gave a call to Muslims to vote on the basis of religious identity alone," says a commentator.

Another says, "How can he use such cheap language? It's insulting to sexual minorities."