Devendra Fadnavis writes to Uddhav Thackeray, seeks action against Sharjeel Usmani

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has written a letter to chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray, demanding that a case be registered against former student leader Sharjeel Usmani for his allegedly provocative speech at an Elgaar Parishad event in Pune on January 30

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has written a letter to chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray, demanding that a case be registered against former student leader Sharjeel Usmani for his allegedly provocative speech at an Elgaar Parishad event in Pune on January 30. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its frontal organisations have filed complaints against Usmani at various police stations.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said that it was surprising that no action was initiated against the youth leader for defaming Hindutva. (HT Photo)

In the letter to the CM on Tuesday, Fadnavis has questioned the permission given to organise the conclave in the wake of violence witnessed in the past after the first Elgaar Parishad organised in 2017. “Sharjeel’s provocative speech has proved how permission given to the conclave was wrong. His statements were derogatory to Hindu religion, serious and objectionable, and insulting to community members. The state government should take stern action against him immediately,” Fadnavis said.

In his letter, the BJP leader said that it was surprising to see that no action was initiated against a youth leader who came to Maharashtra and defamed Hindutva. “It is a shameful event that leads to tension in the state. The state should immediately book him by lodging a complaint and taking legal action against him,” Fadnavis stated.

The Elgaar Parishad was organised in Pune on January 30 by Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyaan on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Rohit Vemula, a Dalit research scholar of the University of Hyderabad, who died by suicide in 2016.

On Monday, state home minister Anil Deshmukh said that police were examining the speeches at the conclave and appropriate action would be taken based on the information.

Meanwhile, BJP’s Kandivli MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar filed a complaint against Usmani at Dindoshi police station. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP’s youth wing also filed a complaint against the youth leader at Swargate police station in Pune, and demanded that a first information report (FIR) be registered against Usmani under section 153 (a) (attack on religion, race, group); 295 (a) (malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of a community), and 124 (a) (whoever, by words, signs and visible representation attempts to create contempt towards the government) of the Indian Penal Code.