The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday filed a complaint against All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi to the Maharashtra Election Commission for saying that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation should allocate Rs 7,700 crore for Muslims in its budget, The Times of India reported. The general secretary of Mumbai BJP, Sumant Ghaisas, said Owaisi’s demand was in violation of the Supreme Court’s latest ruling that prohibits political parties from seeking votes based on religion.

Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar told PTI that Owaisi’s comments were “inflammatory and illegal”, demading action against the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad. “We condemn Owaisi for demanding grants based on a religious community’s percentage of population,” Shelar said.

While addressing a public rally on Sunday in Nagpada, Owaisi had said that as Muslims account for 21% of the population in the civic body’s wards, “Rs 7,700 crore should have been allotted for their development”.

The municipal polls in Mumbai are slated to be held soon – candidates from 26 district councils and 10 municipal corporations will contest in the civic elections next month, whereas seven other civic bodies will go to the polls in May-June and one other in October.