Mumbai Police have registered a case against two websites for alleged objectionable articles on 19th century social reformer Savitribai Phule, an official said. First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Wednesday against Indic Tales and Hindu Post under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 500 (punishment for defamation), the official said.
Earlier on Wednesday, leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal, along with party workers staged a protest outside the Mumbai police commissioner's office demanding action against the two websites for alleged objectionable articles on Savitribai Phule.
Later, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed officials to verify the content and take action accordingly. The CM said those who resort to writing objectionable content against icons will not be spared. A letter signed by Pawar, Patil and Bhujbal to the city police chief claimed that Indic Tales and Hindu Post websites have posted objectionable articles against Phule, regarded as a pioneer in the field of female education.
The letter alleged the act was done with a purpose to incite people. On Monday, Bhujbal wrote a letter to CM Shinde, seeking action against a website and an author of an allegedly offensive article on Phule.