The Ernakulam Central Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with an intent to cause riot) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) of the Indian Penal Code against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar for his controversial social media posts in which he allegedly placed the blame on a particular community for the multiple blasts at a convention centre in Kalamassery on October 29.
The police have also included Section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order through any means of communication) of the Kerala Police Act against him. The FIR stated that Mr. Chandrasekhar had tried to disrupt the communal harmony in the State by targeting a particular community for the blasts at Kalamassery through his videos and posts on social media.
Mr. Chandrasekhar had posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, October 29, that Kerala was paying the price of “dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited Chief Minister (and HM) besieged by corruption charges.” He went on to add that the Chief Minister was sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by terrorist Hamas for jihad are causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians.”
He had alleged that the Kerala government had “rolled out a red carpet for extremist elements in the State”. The State allowed the former chief of the “extremist organisation Hamas” to address the youth of the State and “radicalise them”, he alleged.
Sneering at the post, Mr. Vijayan said Mr. Chandrasekhar was spewing communal venom at a time when the State stood together to face the situation following the bomb blasts. He slammed the Union Minister for what he termed as targeting a segment of Kerala society.
BJP responds
BJP Kerala chief K. Surendran alleged that this action by the Pinarayi Vijayan government was aimed at “helping” and “encouraging” divisive forces and those with extremist views.
“It indicates the double standards of the Pinarayi Vijayan government,” he said while speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
The party said it would face the case against the Central minister both politically and legally.
(with inputs from PTI)
