AIMIM's Owaisi says a hijab-wearing woman could be India’s PM, sparking political debate.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi reaffirmed his 2026 statement that a woman wearing a hijab could one day become India’s Prime Minister, calling it a vision for inclusive pluralism. Speaking to ANI on February 14, he defended the remark as a personal dream amid political backlash, including a rebuttal from Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who stated the next BMC mayor would be Hindu, Marathi, and from the Mahayuti alliance. Owaisi also reiterated his view that the Supreme Court’s 2019 Babri Masjid verdict was flawed, citing ongoing disputes in Sambhal, Kashi, and Mathura, and referencing former Chief Justice J.S. Verma’s belief in the court’s fallibility. He noted UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s use of the Urdu word “qayamat,” questioning the Hindi equivalent.