Bharadwaj, 2 other AAP leaders booked for ‘hurting’ religious sentiments

A first information report (FIR) was filed on the basis of a complaint by a Khushboo George, an advocate. It said that the actions have “deeply wounded the religious sentiments of the Christian community and threaten communal harmony in the national capital”.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, and Adil Ahmed Khan were booked on Thursday for hurting religious sentiments over a video of a skit mocking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government over air pollution that they performed in Connaught Place last week. In it, a man dressed as Santa Claus, wearing a gas mask, faints after he hears the city’s air quality index (AQI).

Bharadwaj, in a post on X, said that they were trying to raise the issue of air pollution through the skit (PTI)

A first information report (FIR) was filed on the basis of a complaint by a Khushboo George, an advocate. It said that the actions have “deeply wounded the religious sentiments of the Christian community and threaten communal harmony in the national capital”.

Reacting to the development on Thursday, Bharadwaj, in a post on X, said that they were trying to raise the issue of air pollution through the skit. “BJP is deeply troubled today by the power of social media... It is because of the power of social media that the BJP government is being forced to answer questions on pollution and the AQI is being discussed. Through the Santa Claus skit, we brought the issue of pollution to the masses, which is causing a lot of trouble to the Delhi and central governments.”

Police have registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 299 (outraging the religious feelings of any class by insulting their religion or beliefs, using words, signs, visual representations, or electronic means), 302 (deliberately wounding someone’s religious feelings through words, sounds, gestures, or objects) and 3(5) (common intention) at the Connaught Place police station.

Reacting to the FIR, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that after being removed from power by the people of Delhi, AAP leaders have “stooped” to such levels and are resorting to such tactics to remain in the news. He further said that making fun of any religion is wrong under all circumstances.

In her complaint, accessed by HT, George alleged, “In these videos, individuals dressed as Santa Claus —a revered religious and cultural icon for Christians worldwide — are portrayed in a derogatory and mocking manner. The videos depict these religious icons ‘fainting’ and ‘collapsing’ on the street to be used as mere props for political messaging.”

The leaders, she further alleged, were “ridiculing a figure that represents the sacred legacy of Saint Nicholas and the holy festival of Christmas”.

By using a religious icon as a mascot to create a “political ruckus” during the final days of Advent, “there is a clear mens rea to insult the Christian faith”. While the offenders may claim freedom of expression, Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India “explicitly allows for reasonable restrictions on that right in the interest of public order, decency, and morality”, the complaint added.

In his post on X, Bharadwaj further alleged, “BJP workers themselves are now wearing Christian masks and saying that their religious sentiments have been hurt, and the police are registering an FIR.”

In response, George told HT, “I have not spoken about any party in my complaint. I am only raising voice for my own community.”

Police said that further probe in the case is underway.

In the more than 3-minute video, shared by AAP and the three leaders on their social media on December 17 and 18, a man dressed as Santa Claus and wearing a gas masks faints after Bharadwaj tells him the air quality index (AQI) at the time. Bharadwaj then attempts to revive the man, performing chest compressions. It was not immediately clear which day the video was filmed. Both Khan and Jha can also been seen in the video.

Khan then helps the revived man stand up, and all of them, along with Jha, wearing a mask, stand behind Bharadwaj as he tells the camera that Santa Claus had fallen “ill” after he came to the Capital. “We want to tell Delhi’s Rekha Gupta-led government, do some work. By fudging the AQI, you can reduce the figure but not the pollution,” he claims.

Then, saying that the BJP’s governance in the Capital was “very poor”, they all call for the resignation of environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Sachdeva added that the three AAP leaders against whom the FIR has been registered have indulged in an indecent act by mocking religious faith, which is not acceptable in any religion.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that “no common man could easily manage time and resources to file a complaint against the president of a political party, or an MLA. Therefore, socio-political activists like George have to take lead.”