Dalit man uploads objectionable video on social media, arrested Tricolour on shoe box: Shopkeeper booked
THE VIDEO WAS SHOT AT JANTAR MANTAR IN NEW DELHI ON MAY 21 DURING A RALLY ORGANISED BY BHIM ARMY TO PROTEST RECENT VIOLENCE AT SAHARANAPUR IN
UTTAR PRADESH
A 25-year-old Dalit man was arrested in Barmer for allegedly hurting religious sentiment of a community, police said on Monday.
Jograj Singh Meghwal, a resident of Barmer, uploaded a video on social media on May 23. He was arrested on Sunday after people of a particular community approached police over the “objectionable content” of the video. The video was shot at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on May 21 during a rally organised by Bhim Army, police said.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the video was uploaded on May 23 on Facebook following which it was shared on other social media platforms,” said Jairam, station house officer of the Barmer Sadar police station.
“One of the complainants took offense and registered a case. Following that Meghwal has been arrested for hurting religious sentiments,” said Jairam, adding that he was also booked under sections of the Information Technology Act. The police officer said around 7-8 people from Barmer district went to the rally and Meghwal was one of them. “Meghwal works in a private firm. He told us that the video was shot there (Delhi),” said the SHO.
An investigation was on to ascertain whether other people who went to the rally also had any part in circulating the video, said deputy superintendent of police (Barmer) Omprakash Ujjwal. Another police officer, wishing not to be named, told HT: “It’s true that some religious organisations contacted us regarding the case and demanded an investigation.”
Notably, thousands of Dalits assembled at Jantar Mantar on May 21 to protest against the recent violence at Saharanapur in Uttar Pradesh, where a mob, allegedly from a upper caste community ransacked and burned down 25 houses belonging to Dalits on May 5.
Police registered a case against a shopkeeper on Monday for keeping shoes in boxes on which the Tricolour was printed.
After knowing about the shoe boxes carrying a national flag design, Congress workers went to the shop in a mall near Jhalawar Road in Kota city. Shopkeeper Mahesh Rao admitted his mistake after Congress workers protested. He immediately removed around two dozen shoe boxes from his shop.
Police booked the shopkeeper and an unidentified shoe manufacturer after Kranti Tiwari, state president of the Congress’s social justice and empowerment cell, lodged a complaint.
“An FIR has been lodged against shoe shopkeeper Mahesh Rao and an unidentified shoe manufacturer in New Delhi under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971,” said Jaiprakash Beniwal, circle inspector of Vigyan Nagar police station in Kota.
“There is a provision of maximum three years’ imprisonment or fine or both for violation of this Act.” Beniwal said action would be taken after a probe. “Use of Tricolor design on shoe boxes is defamatory and a conspiracy; this will not be tolerated,” Tiwari said, demanding action.
Mahesh Rao said the shoe boxes arrived from a Delhi firm about 10 days ago and he was ignorant about the Tricolor design.