A Thiruvananthapuram court on Thursday, 26 May, remanded former legislator PC George to 14 days of judicial custody in the Ananthapuri Hindu Mahasammelan hate speech case.
The Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) leader has been taken to the Thiruvananthapuram District Sub Jail, Poojappura, The Hindu reported.
George was arrested by the Kerala police after a magisterial court in Thiruvananthapuram cancelled his bail on Wednesday, 25 May.
This is the second time George has been arrested after being accused of delivering hate speech against Muslims. His bail was cancelled after the prosecution informed the court that George had violated conditions.
After the court cancelled George's bail, hundreds of activists of the People’s Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) thronged the Palarivattom police station in Kochi, to show their support for George.
PC George Called His Arrest 'Pinarayi’s Ramadan Gift to Terrorist Muslims'
On 29 April, while addressing the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan in Thiruvananthapuram, George had made controversial statements about the Muslim community. His comments were termed communal and triggered protests across the state.
He alleged that restaurants run by Muslims should be avoided because they use “some kind of drops” that cause impotence. He talked about “love jihad” and an “agenda to establish a Muslim country” by “sterilising men and women (of other faith).”
The police had received nearly 20 complaints against the former government chief whip including one from Muslim Youth League.
Following the outrage, on 1 May, police arrested George who was produced before a magistrate's court in Thiruvananthapuram. He was given conditional bail, stating he should not make any hate speeches or get involved in any controversies.
The Fort police registered a case under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Speaking to reporters after he was granted bail, he said he had wanted to make it clear that he did not want the support or vote of radical groups, of any religion, who do not love the country.
"What I said was that I don't need the votes of Muslim fundamentalists, I don't need the vote of anyone – be it Christian, Muslim, or Hindu – who does not love India. How can I become a communal person for saying this? My arrest is respected Pinarayi Vijayan's gift on Ramadan for the terrorist Muslims."PC George, Independent Politician
Claimed He Was Expressing Anxiety
Just a few days after the first incident, George was accused of delivering another speech with a communal tone, at a temple festival in Vennala. On 10 May, the Palarivattom police booked him under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for promoting enmity between groups (153) and of outraging religious feelings (295 A).
Condemning the remarks, the Congress had urged the state government to take strong action against George. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly VD Satheesan alleged that George had made the statement with an intention to ignite communal passion and create deep divisions in society.
George said he was expressing "his anxiety over a negligible percentage of people involving in anti-national terrorist activities."
He also claimed in his plea that his “observations were based on authentic statistics.”
“At any stretch of imagination, the offences as alleged will not be attracted in this case. The prosecution resorted to a pick and choose game and highlighted certain stray sentences from a 40-minute-long speech and unilaterally declared it as offensive which is not justifiable,” George said in his anticipatory bail plea in the high court.
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