Days after a Muslim man was arrested in Maharashtra’s Nanded for allegedly "inciting fear" in the Muslim community while attempting to stop an event that had expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA T Raja Singh and Hindutva hardliner Kalicharan Maharaj as key speakers, an FIR was registered against Kalicharan for allegedly delivering “hate speech” against Muslims at the same event.
The event was held on 9 April. In the FIR registered by the Biloli police of Nanded district, Kalicharan has been booked under section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code.
The development comes days after Suleman Ahmed Sheikh, 50, was booked and arrested by the Biloli police.
Suleman Ahmed Sheikh, 50, was arrested the Biloli Police in Nanded for allegedly "inciting" the youth from the Muslim community to oppose a rally that was to be addressed by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party MLA T Raja Singh on 9 April.
(Photo: Edited by The Quint)
What Did Kalicharan Say at the Event?
At the event held on 9 April near the Mata Mandir area in the city, Abhijeet Dhananjay Saraag alias Kalicharan advocated for violence against Muslims and claimed that they are all "traitors and terrorists." He also praised the 'bulldozer justice' model and made controversial claims about the Quran.
In a video footage, accessed by The Quint, Kalicharan said: "Those who slaughter cows and eat them can never be our brothers. Abdul loves his goat very much. He feeds it with cashews and nuts and then slaughters it on the day of Eid. All Muslims are Hindu converts but then they are brainwashed at madrasas."
Advocating for a need of Hindu Rashtra, Kalicharan also claimed that all terrorists across the world are only Muslims.
(Photo: Facebook)
A screenshot of the video address by T Raja Singh which was shown at the rally organised in Biloli in Nanded district of Maharashtra.
T Raja Singh addressed the event via a video message and advocated for a need of Hindu Rashtra too. "If we are successful in our mission, we will be able to stop cow slaughter, land jihad, and religious conversions. These traitors who encroach our lands and indulge in land jihad will be finished," he said.
The FIR, however, does not name T Raja Singh. When contacted, the Biloli police refused to comment on the matter.
Why Was Suleman Arrested by Nanded Police?
Before filing the FIR against Kalicharan, Suleman Ahmed Sheikh, 50, a businessman and worker of the Congress party was arrested by the Biloli Police for allegedly "inciting" the youth from the Muslim community to oppose the event.
Speaking to The Quint on 11 April, Suleman's cousin Waliuddin Sheikh said that when they learnt of T Raja Singh's scheduled address, several concerned Muslims of the town got together and decided to take the complaint to the administration — the police, the District Collector.
"But look what happened. Instead of stopping him, they arrested one of us," Waliuddin said.
The police took suo moto cognizance to book Suleman after a video of him addressing a gathering of people on 24 March went viral on social media.
Claiming that Suleman "created a sense of insecurity and fear” via his address, the police said: "We will also request the district administration to help us in this and those who will not stand with us, we will also not cooperate with them."
Suleman was named in the FIR along with one Azhar Qureshi and was booked under sections 34 (criminal act done with common intention) and 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Suleman secured bail on 11 April.
In the clip of Suleman's address accessed by The Quint, Suleman said: "His speech will be so venomous that it has the potential to create tensions not just in Biloli but in the entire district of Nanded and the state of Maharashtra and in fact, in the entire country. This could cause riots. To stop this, five of us, workers of the Congress, are standing before you."
Suleman could further be heard saying that him and his associates will withdraw support to the Congress if the party does not stand by them to stop the event from happening.
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