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Filmmaker Aisha Sultana to appear before Lakshadweep Police today
Aisha Sultana was served a CrPC notice by the police, which asked her to appear at Lakshadweep Police headquarters in Kavaratti. The filmmaker is facing trouble for her 'bio-weapon' remark against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel.
Filmmaker Aisha Sultana, who is facing sedition charge over her remarks against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel, will appear before the police on Sunday. Sultana's plea for anticipatory bail in the case was accepted by the Kerala high court on Thursday, but she was asked to appear before the police on June 20.
The single-bench of Justice Ashok Menon granted anticipatory bail to her for a week, reserving its final order.
The case was registered against the filmmaker on June 10 when the Kavaratti Police booked her under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on a complaint by Lakshadweep BJP president C Abdul Khadar Haji.
Sultana was served a notice under Section 41A Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the police asked her to appear at Lakshadweep Police headquarters in Kavaratti, in connection with the case.
The controversy over remarks made by Aisha Sultana:
In the complaint, Haji cited a debate on a Malayalam news channels, in which Sultana called the Union territory’s administrator, Praful Khoda Patel a "bio-weapon". Haji said her words were in bad taste and intended to create hatred and aversion in the minds of people.
During the hearing before the high court, the filmmaker's counsel said that the words "bio-weapon" were used in the context of criticising the relaxations given in the Covid protocol in the island and was made to represent the aggrieved lot.
"She never knew that this word can have such implications. She apologised the next day. Covid restrictions were relaxed in Lakshadweep leading to spike in cases. The words bio-weapon were used in that context," Sultana's lawyer said.
But the counsel for Lakshadweep administration opposed the bail plea, asserting that Sultana made a powerful, noxious assertion against the government of India.
Sedition charge:
The Kavaratti Police booked Sultana under sections 124 (A) (sedition) and 153 (B) (acts against national interests) of the IPC. The complainant, Lakshadweep BJP president Haji, said that Sultana generated hatred and opposition to the Union government by falsely and with ulterior motives.
Many local BJP leaders protested against the slapping of sedition charge against Sultana. Over a dozen of them quit the party in protest.
However, the BJP downplayed the resignations, claiming that the party is intact in the island.
Uproar against Khoda:
Over the last few days, there has been an uproar against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel over the new reforms introduced by him, which many allege are against the interest of the islanders.
People are protesting against the draft legislations like Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (Goonda Act), Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation and Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021 among others.
