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FIR against Maharashtra Congress chief over remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji
The FIR was registered at Parvati Police Station based on a complaint filed by BJP Pune city unit president Dhiraj Ghate.
The Pune City Police on Sunday registered a first information report (FIR) against Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal over remarks allegedly made during a media interaction, officials said.
The FIR was registered at Parvati Police Station based on a complaint filed by BJP Pune city unit president Dhiraj Ghate. The case has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections 192, 196(1), 196(2), 352 and 356(1).
According to the complaint, Ghate came across a video circulating on social media platforms on February 14 at around 5pm while browsing Facebook and Instagram. The video allegedly showed Sapkal responding to a media query related to the display of a portrait of Tipu Sultan in an office in Malegaon.
In the clip, Sapkal is purported to have compared the bravery and ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with those of Tipu Sultan, stating that Tipu Sultan had fought against the British and should be regarded as a courageous warrior and a “son of the soil”.
The complainant alleged that the remarks amounted to equating Tipu Sultan with Shivaji Maharaj, which hurt the sentiments of followers who revere Shivaji Maharaj as a deity-like figure. The complaint further stated that the comments were provocative and had the potential to disturb social harmony.
Police officials said an investigation has been initiated to examine the contents of the video and the circumstances under which the remarks were made.
