FIR filed against Togadia for his ‘hate speech’

Bhavnagar, Apr 22: A first information report (FIR) has been registered against VHP leader Pravin Togadia for “inciting communal passions” after he allegedly asked the locals of a society here to forcibly occupy a house purchased by a Muslim man in Hindu majority area.

“An FIR has been filed against him under sections 153(A), 153(B) and under 188 for violating notification of the Election Commission,” District Collector and Returning Officer P K Solanki said here on Tuesday.

Section 153(A) of the IPC deals with ‘intention to cause disorder, promoting enmity between religious groups and incite people to violence’, Section 153 (B) of the IPC deals with those who assert, propagate or publish that any class of persons by reasons of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community be denied, or deprived of their rights as citizens of India.

Section 188 deals with disobedience to order duly promulgated by the Election Commission by way of its notification of elections.

The poll panel had asked the district administration to take action against Mr. Togadia over his hate speech and also directed it to submit action-taken report as soon as possible.

Mr. Togadia had allegedly asked his supporters to get vacated the house a Muslim man had purchased in the Hindu-majority locality near Meghani Circle area of Bhavnagar city.

On Saturday, Mr. Togadia had allegedly told the gathering, mainly comprising local residents and Bajrang Dal workers, that they should give an ultimatum of 48 hours to the occupant to vacate the house or else they should storm into it, take possession and put up a Bajrang Dal board.

Bhavnagar Police had initiated an inquiry on Monday into the alleged hate speech following the Election Commission orders.

However, the VHP leader had termed the media reports “false, malafide and mischievous” and said he was sending legal notices to media houses.

Earlier report:

Election Commission directs FIR against Pravin Togadia for ‘hate speech’

Rajkot/Ahmedabad, Apr 22: The Election Commission has directed the district administration of Bhavnagar to file an FIR against VHP leader Pravin Togadia for a hate speech on Saturday when he called for the forcible eviction of a Muslim family from a Hindu-dominated locality.

On Monday evening, Gujarat's chief electoral officer Anita Karwal said, "We have inquired about the Bhavnagar incident and have directed the district administration to file an FIR in the matter."

Earlier in the day, Togadia denied having made such a speech and threatened to sue media.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar told journalists: "I talked to Togadiaji. He said he did not make such a statement."

On Saturday, Togadia had joined a street protest for driving out a Muslim family from a house purchased by it in the Meghani Circle area in Bhavnagar. He told the gathering that they should give the family an ultimatum of 48 hours, and if the house isn't vacated, storm it with "stones, tyres and tomatoes" and put up a Bajrang Dal board on the house.

Saffron groups remove banner that sparked row

After this was reported on Monday, the saffron groups in Bhavnagar brought down the banner warning against sale of properties to Muslims in "Hindu" areas. Local VHP members were seen looking for persons who videographed Togadia's speech on Saturday night. In his speech, Togadia had himself cautioned against leakage of the video recording to the media.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "Togadia always spreads venom. And he belongs to that category of people in this country who do not believe in the unity and the integrity of India."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded action against Togadia for "vitiating the peaceful atmosphere" during elections. AAP also demanded that Narendra Modi should "come clean" on the issue. It's another matter that relations between Modi and Togadia have been very strained and they have not been on talking terms.