Assam Congress MLA Aftabuddin Mollah arrested for derogatory remarks on priests
A case has been registered at the Dispur Police station against Aftabuddin Mollah under Sections 295(a)/ 153A(1)(b)/505(2) IPC), said DGP GP Singh.
The Assam Police has arrested Congress MLA Aftabuddin Mollah for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the priests, namgharias and saints. A case has been registered at the Dispur Police station under Sections 295(a)/ 153A(1)(b)/505(2) IPC), news agency ANI reported citing DGP GP Singh.
A senior officer of Assam Police said, "The arrested Congress leader has been identified as Aftabuddin Mollah, a sitting MLA from Jaleswar Assembly constituency in Assam)."
A case was registered at Dispur police station under the relevant IPC sections on a complaint, police informed. The Congress MLA is alleged to have delivered an inflammatory speech targeting priests, Namgharias, and seers at a public meeting in Goalpara district on November 4.
Mollah made the remarks in response to a statement by All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal who had said last month that Muslims are “number one in robbery, dacoity, rape”.
“Wherever there is any rape, the temples priests and namgharias are involved,” the Jaleswar MLA reportedly claimed at a public meeting in Goalpara district.
“Show me one Muslim cleric who is responsible for wrongdoing. Such bad things are done by Hindus, not by Muslims. But still, Muslims are blamed,” Scroll quoted Mollah as saying.
A day after Mollah’s speech, the Assam Congress issued a show cause notice, saying that he made a “highly obnoxious comment”.
“The principle and perspective of Indian National Congress, is never against saints, priests, seers, maulanas and Namgharias and Congress has been always revealing due respects to them,” Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said in the notice. “I am extremely unhappy and ask you to withdraw your statement and seek public apology in front of the media immediately.”
Mollah apologised for his remarks on November 5.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said that it is a case of hate speech.
