Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Simha has been booked by the Shahpur police in Yadgiri for allegedly delivering inflammatory remarks against a particular community during the Ganesha Visarjana Shobha Yatra on September 21, officers aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
His remarks targeting the Muslim community have ignited widespread backlash and raised concerns of communal unrest.
To be sure, Simha had issued visitor passes during the last Lok Sabha session to three people who threw canisters in the lower house.
He made the inflammatory comments while speaking at the “Hindu Maha Ganapati Visarjana Shobha Yatra”, where he questioned the involvement of the Muslim community in incidents of stone pelting during Ganesh idol immersion processions.
“Why does the tendency to throw stones seen only in Muslims? If all the Hindus held a stone in their hands, do you know what would happen?” Simha reportedly said.
Following the speech, members of the Muslim community filed a formal complaint, against Simha. Police, led by Shahapur Inspector DV Nayak, registered an FIR based on the complaint.
“Simha and others associated with the event have been charged under BNS Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 192 (provocation for riot),” said inspector Nayak.
{{/usCountry}}“Simha and others associated with the event have been charged under BNS Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 192 (provocation for riot),” said inspector Nayak.
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