FIRs in UP, Maha Against Sharjeel Usmani for Elgar Parishad Speech

File photo of Sharjeel Usmani.

(Image: Altered by The Quint)

An FIR has been filed against Sharjeel Usmani under Section 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code, at the Swargate Police Station in Pune, for his speech at 2021’s edition of Elgar Parishad. Section 153 (A) deals with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, reports.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 3 February, officials informed The Indian Express that an FIR, under various sections, including sedition, was filed against Usmani in Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station as well.

According to ANI, the complainant in the Pune FIR, Pradip Gawade, has said:

“We’ve requested the police to also lodge a case against him u/s 124-A, IPC as he clearly stated he didn’t believe in the Indian state, Parliament and judiciary. We also said a case should be lodged against the organisers of Elgar Parishad.”   

WHAT IS USMANI ACCUSED OF?

While discussing recent attacks on democracy, Sharjeel, is accused of having given the example of mob lynching and expressing regret over the changing mentality of the Hindu society. Sharjeel has also reportedly been accused of making objectionable statements pertaining to the Hindu society.

At the event, Sharjeel had said: “Today's Hindu society in India is rotten. What do these people who lynch and murder go home and do with themselves, what do they do with themselves once they get home?”

THE SECOND FIR (LUCKNOW, HAZRATGANJ)

According to The Indian Express, this FIR has been filed on the complaint on one Anuraj Singh and registered under sections 124 A (sedition), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings) of the IPC, along with sections of the IT Act.

Anuraj Singh claims that he stumbled upon a video of Usmani’s Eglar Parishad conclave (2021) speech on the internet.

Anuraj Singh, according to The Indian Express, has accused Usmani of “creating hate” against the Yogi Adityanath government, among other things.

OTHER DETAILS

BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis had also written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding action against Usmani. Elgar Parishad has been such a centre of disputes at Pune, two years ago as well, that Pune Police had barred the organisation of the event.

However, permission was granted, this time, to organise the event on 30 January, instead of 30 December.