FIR doesn’t specify crime: Owaisi slams Delhi Police for booking him over ‘inflammatory remarks’
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday lashed out at Delhi Police for the FIR against him over ‘inflammatory remarks’.
In a series of tweets, Owaisi accused the cops of “both sideism” for booking people who oppose BJP, in a bid to assuage ruling party supporters.
Owaisi was booked for alleged inflammatory remarks along with expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal, journalist Saba Naqvi, Maulana Mufti Nadeem, Abdur Rehman, Gulzar Ansari, and Anil Kumar Meena. This comes amid a row involving suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and her Prophet remarks.
1. I’ve received an excerpt of the FIR. This is the first FIR I’ve seen that’s not specifying what the crime is. Imagine an FIR about a murder where cops don’t mention the weapon or that the victim bled to death. I don’t know which specific remarks of mine have attracted the FIR.
“It appears that Delhi Police lacks the courage to pursue cases against Yati, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. This is why the delayed and weak response. Delhi Police were probably trying to think of a way of registering an FIR against these people without offending Hindutvadis,” Owaisi alleged.
“It appears that Delhi Police lacks the courage to pursue cases against Yati, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. This is why the delayed and weak response. Delhi Police were probably trying to think of a way of registering an FIR against these people without offending Hindutvadis,” Owaisi alleged.
“Delhi Police is suffering from both sideism or balance-waad syndromes. One side has openly insulted our Prophet while the other side has been named to assuage BJP supporters and make it look like there was hate speech on both sides,” he added.
In my case, the FIR isn’t even mentioning was offensive, the AIMIM MP said, adding that posts/remarks by party spokespersons are being equated to random posts on social media with no social or political standing.
“As for the FIR against me, we will consult our lawyers & address it as and when required. We will not be intimidated by these tactics. Criticising hate speech and giving hate speeches cannot be equated,” Owaisi said.
On Thursday, the police booked Nupur Sharma under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The FIR has been filed by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operation (IFSO) unit of the Special Cell of Delhi Police against people for “inciting various groups and creating situations that are detrimental to the maintenance of public tranquillity in the country.”
The punitive action comes amid global pushback against the Prophet remarks made by the now-suspended BJP leader. The outrage also prompted Centre to say remarks by some “fringe elements” did not represent the views of the Indian government.