Complaint lodged against Kannada actor for ‘hurting’ religious sentiments
In February, Ahimsa was arrested amid the hijab row in Karnataka allegedly for his objectionable tweets against a high court judge involved in the trial.
Right wing outfit Hindu Jagaran Vedike has lodged a police complaint against Kannada actor Chetan Ahimsa for allegedly ‘hurting’ religious sentiments in the Udupi district of Karnataka, police said on Friday. As of now, no first information report (FIR) has been registered in the case, said the police.
The outfit in their police complaint stated that “actor Chetan Ahimsa had issued derogatory and insulting statements while making comments on the tradition of ‘Bhoota Kola’ used in the Kannada movie Kantara”. Repeated calls to contact the actor for his statement remained unanswered.
The complaint also alleges that the actor had hurt the “religious sentiments of Hindus”.
The development comes after Kumar had made a remark in reaction to Kantara actor-director Rishab Shetty’s comments during an interview that ‘Bhoota Kola’ was a part of Hindu culture.
During the interview, Shetty was asked whether Panjurli – a spirit that takes the form of a wild boar – was depicted in the movie as a Hindu deity. Replying to the query, Shetty had said: “Those gods, they are all part of our tradition. Definitely, it is part of Hindu culture and rituals. Because I am a Hindu, I have belief and respect for my religion. But I will not say others are wrong. What we have said is through the element that is present in Hindu dharma.”
“I am a Hindu and I believe in my religion and customs which nobody can question…,” he had said.
Responding to the same, Ahimsa had taken to Twitter and tweeted: “Glad our Kannada film ‘Kantara’ is making national waves. Director Rishabh Shetty claims Bhoota Kola is ‘Hindu culture’. False. Our Pambada/Nalike/Parawa’s Bahujan traditions predate Vedic-Brahminical Hinduism. We ask that Moolnivasi cultures be shown w/truth on & off screen.”
Further clarifying his statement, Ahimsa during a press conference held on Wednesday in Bengaluru had said that it is important how the word ‘Hindu’ is used. “It is wrong to say that ‘Bhutakola’ is part of the Hindu religion. Adivasis practice the ritual and there is no ‘Brahminism’ in Bhoota Kola. Don’t say Hindu in the movie. It is the culture of the Adivasis. Do not put Adivasi culture in the column of Hindu religion,” Kumar added.
This is not the first time Ahimsa has grabbed the headlines. In February, he was arrested amid the hijab row in Karnataka allegedly for his objectionable tweets against a high court judge involved in the trial. The tweet in question was a retweet of his old tweet about Justice Krishna Dixit regarding a rape case. The old tweet posted on June 27, 2020 read: “This week KA (Karnataka) High Court Justice Krishna Dixit granted (granted) pre-arrest bail to rape-accused Rakesh B claiming ‘it is unbecoming of Indian woman to sleep after rape; that is no way women react when they are ravished.’ What’s ‘unbecoming’ is 21st c (century) misogyny of this judiciary Dixit fossil.”
As the hijab row hearing is going on, Chethan February 16 retweeted his old tweet and wrote, “This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision. Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case. Now this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools. Does he have the clarity required?” He was later released on bail in this case.
