After dilly-dallying, FIR registered against MP Pragya over hate speech

NT Correspondent

Shivamogga: After much delay, Shivamogga police have registered an FIR against Bhopal MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for a “hate speech” she made in Shivamogga city on Sunday. The case was registered under sections 153(A), 153(B), 268, 295(A), 298, 504, 508 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The sections deal with promoting enmity between groups on grounds of identity, including religion, imputations or assertions prejudicial to national integration; public nuisance; malicious acts intended to outraging religious sentiments; wounding religious feelings and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. The FIR was registered based on the complaint of Shivamogga District Congress Committee president HS Sundaresh.

Presence required for complaint: Cops Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson and activist Tehseen Poonawala had ex - pressed surprise when Shivamogga police had initially asked both of them to be physically present at the police station to be able to register a case against Thakur, who is a terror accused in the 2008 bombings in Malegoan in Maharashtra and Modasa in Gujarat that killed 10, made the offending speech in Shivamogga in reference to the murder of Harsha.

“If nothing else, let us keep the knives used to cut vegetables sharp. Whenever know what circumstances may demand. If a knife that cuts our vegetables well, it can also cut the heads of our enemies,” she had said.

Gokhale and Poonawala had responded by filing FIRs remotely on Tuesday filed complaints. However, Shivamogga Superintendent of Police (SP) GK Mithun Kumar wrote back to the complainants demanding their physical presence at Kota police station.

“Since the information has been received in a digital format, the authenticity of the person sending it has to be verified,” the notice said. “Also, as per the Lalitha Kumari judgement of the honourable Supreme Court, in order to check the veracity of the information received, and in order to conduct a preliminary enquiry and / or for making an FIR under Section 154 of CRPC, you are requested to be present before me on 28/12/2022 at 11 am at Kote police station, Shivamogga,” it added.

Gokhale threatened to approach to the Apex Court if an FIR is not filed, adding that the Shivamogga police were “protecting” Thakur