Navi Mumbai police have issued a FIR against Hindutva activist Sambhaji Bhide in response to a complaint about his alleged offensive comments about Gautam Buddha and social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Periyar Naicker.
Last month, an FIR was registered in Amravati against Bhide, the founder of the Shri Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan outfit, for allegedly making offensive remarks about Mahatma Gandhi’s lineage during his speech, police earlier said.
Amid opposition parties’ demand for action against Bhide for his derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last week said insult of national icons will not be tolerated.
In the latest case, advocate Amit Katarnavre, a resident of Panvel in Navi Mumbai, gave a complaint at the New Panvel police station, alleging Bhide made derogatory comments against Gautam Buddha, Jyotiba Phule and Periyar Naicker, which hurt the sentiments of those who revered them.
After an inquiry into the complaint, the police on Sunday registered an FIR against Bhide under Indian Penal Code Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), the official said.