Waris Pathan

Waris Pathan (born 29 November 1968) is an India politician based in Mumbai, Maharashtra and an MLA of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Byculla, Mumbai. Pathan is also an Advocate of all the High Courts in India as a Defence counsel in Criminal matters.

Early and Personal life

Pathan was born in Bandra, Mumbai on 29 November 1968. Pathan is a son of justice Yusuf Pathan.

Pathan joined the legal profession in August 1991. He was the first lawyer to get an accused in a TADA case out on interim bail on medical grounds. The Supreme Court of India has upheld the bail order in favour of the accused (Abdul Hamid Birya v/s state).

Political career

Waris Pathan was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly on an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) ticket from Mumbai's Byculla assembly constituency.

On 16 March 2016, Pathan was unanimously suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly on charges of disrespecting the country and anti-nationalism for refusing to chant the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai when asked to do so in the assembly by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ram Kadam. He later said, "I love my country. I was born here and I will die here, he even said jai hind jai bharat Hindustan zindabad but will not say bharat mata ki jai. I can never dream of insulting my country. Don’t judge anyone’s love for the country by just one slogan."