Sanatana Dharma row: Tamil Nadu police book BJP IT wing chief Amit Malviya, Ayodhya seer

The City Crime Branch police registered an FIR against Malviya under Sections 153 (whoever deliberately or wantonly causes or provokes any riot through illegal means), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 505 (1) (b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity) of the IPC.

It is to be noted that Section 505 (1) (b) of the IPC is a non-bailable offence.

In his complaint, Dhinakaran stated that Malviya had tweeted that Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had called for the “genocide” of 80 percent of the population of India, which follows Sanatana Dharma.

He stated that nowhere had Udhayandhi spoken in the way that Malviya tweeted, and that the BJP IT wing chief had twisted the words of Udhayanidhi and tried to spread fake news.

“Even though Udhayanidhi clarified his remarks, the BJP IT wing chief is peddling fake news and trying to incite violence between the communities,” he added. Hence, he called for an action against Malviya.

A statement from the Tiruchy police stated that further inquiry was being conducted into the case.

Tiruchy police registers FIR against @amitmalviya under section 153, 153(A), 504, 505 (1) (b) of IPC on the complaint of spreading false news that #UdhayanidhiStalin called for genocide of those who following Sanatana Dharma.

The complaint was preferred by one KAV Dhinakaran of… pic.twitter.com/ivCIyZY9QJ

— Vinodh Arulappan (@VinodhArulappan) September 6, 2023

Also read: BJP outrage over Udhayanidhi remarks puts INDIA bloc defensive

FIR against Ayodhya seer, UP scribe

Meanwhile, the Madurai Cyber Crime police registered a case against Ayodhya seer Ramachandra Das Paramhans Acharya and an Uttar Pradesh-based journalist for posting a video of the seer announcing a reward for beheading Udhayanidhi.

The police booked the seer and the journalist under Sections 153 (whoever deliberately or wantonly causes or provokes any riot through illegal means), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1) (b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity), and 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

The FIR was registered based on a complaint from J Devasenan, the Madurai district organiser of the DMK legal wing to the Madurai City Commissioner of Police KS Narenthiran Nayar on Wednesday.

The journalist was identified as Piyush Rai, who is working for the Quint.

Journalist associations from Tamil Nadu condemned the booking of the Quint journalist, who merely covered the news. They requested Chief Minister MK Stalin to direct the police to withdraw the case filed against Rai.

When South First contacted Piyush Rai, he declined to comment on the issue and wondered why the police had booked him for doing his duty.

Earlier, Udhayanidhi, reacting to the statement of the seer, said that he was not afraid of such statements, as he was following the footprints of his grandfather Karunanidhi, who had also received similar death threats.

Also read: Asking politicians questions as a journalist could get you suspended