Goa Police files FIR over satirical cartoon posted on Facebook

An FIR has been registered against a Goa resident for sharing a satirical cartoon on Facebook, accusing him of criminal defamation and violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The cartoon depicted the Indian Prime Minister as a chameleon on the national flag.

PANAJI: A first information report (FIR) has been registered by the Goa police against a Santa Cruz resident for sharing a satirical cartoon, accusing him of criminal defamation and violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, police said on Thursday.

The Goa Police said the FIR was registered by the Old Goa Police Station under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code and section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. (File Photo)

The FIR was filed on a complaint by Inacio Domnic Pereira, a Santa Cruz panchayat member, who accused Nazario D’Souza of sharing the cartoon on his Facebook page. D’souza’s Facebook handle lists 268 friends and is followed by 10 people.

The cartoon, drawn by artist Mir Suhail, depicted a chameleon with a human head in saffron and white colour clinging to a flagpole atop which the Indian tricolour is flying high.

In his complaint, Periera said the cartoon was offensive, disrespected the national flag and insulted the country’s prime minister.

“In this post, he depicted the prime minister of our country as a “chameliyon” (chameleon) on the national flag. This blatant disrespect not only undermines the dignity of our national symbols but also insults our honourable Prime Minister,” Pereira said in the complaint.