A petition seeking a sedition case against the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad Ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi was filed in a court in Meerut even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Sunday demanded action against him and his immediate arrest.

Slamming Owaisi over his decision to provide legal help to men arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly being members of a Daesh module, the BJP accused him of “betraying” the country and sought action against him for “helping the terror group”.

Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh demanded immediate arrest of the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad and asked the TRS government to register a sedition case against the leader of the Hyderabad-based party. JD (U) spokesperson Ajay Alok also demanded that Owaisi be put behind bars. Owaisi on his part said the offer of legal help was being “blown out of proportion” and that the courts can take a view. Anil Kumar Bakshi, a member of UP Bar Council, in his petition seeking registration of a case against Owaisi for alleged offences including sedition charge alleged his remarks amounted to treason and promoted terrorism.