Dr Kafeel booked for making ‘provocative speech’ at AMU
AGRA/GORAKHPUR: Suspended BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, assistant lecturer Dr Kafeel Khan was booked for allegedly making a provocative speech during the ‘Open Talk’ organised on Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus on Thursday last.
Dr Khan was in AMU for the ‘Open Talk’ organised by students to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Activist Yogendra Yadav was the other speaker at the event.
The case was registered on Friday at Aligarh’s Civil Lines police station under IPC section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) on the instruction of Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Aligarh, Akash Kulhari.
Speaking over phone in Gorakhpur, Dr Kafeel said: “I don’t have any information about the case lodged against me in Aligarh. I didn’t deliver any provocative speech, which was streamed live on Facebook. It’s still available there and one can check if it was provocative or not. In my speech, which I gave in the presence of Yogendra Yadav, I had just said that the CAB (now CAA) was unconstitutional, and we should continue fighting against it until it’s taken back by the government.”
The Aligarh police have also registered a case against unidentified persons regarding a video (showing some students shouting inflammatory slogans) circulating on social media.
Superintendent of police (SP-City), Aligarh, Abhishek (he goes by one name) said the cyber and surveillance cell of police is verifying the authenticity of video.
Some right wing organizations, including Hindu Sena, have demanded action against the persons in the video. “A case has been registered against Dr Khan on the instructions of the SSP,” the SP said.
“As regards the video, we registered a case against unidentified persons at Civil Lines police station on Saturday. The video is being examined to find out the location where it was filmed and the persons featuring in it. Required action will follow once these things are verified,” the SP said.
The right wing organisations have alleged that the video was of the AMU campus and that its contents were anti-Hindutva. They have demanded action against those in the 19-second video.
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leaders also raised objections against the slogans allegedly raised at Bab-e-Syed gate of AMU against the CAA and submitted memorandum to police seeking action against the students.
Meanwhile, a protest march was held on AMU campus on Sunday by students of Mumtaz Hostel against the CAA. Heavy force was deployed at AMU circle outside AMU campus.
Dr Kafeel was sent to jail in connection with the August 2017 oxygen shortage tragedy at BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur in which 60 children had died. Kafeel spent about nine months in jail before he was granted bail on April 25, 2018 by the Allahabad high court, which observed that there were no proof of medical negligence against the doctor.
Earlier this year, Kafeel was given a clean chit in two of four charges in a departmental probe. After being exonerated. Kafeel has been demanding revocation of his suspension and has filed plea for the same in court.