A Muslim cleric has been charged with allegedly making objectionable and inflammatory remarks against Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav during a television debate.
The FIR against cleric Maulana Sajid Rashidi was filed at the Vibhuti Khand police station on Sunday evening following a complaint by a Samajwadi leader, Pravesh Yadav. The remarks in question were reportedly made in response to Dimple Yadav's recent visit to a mosque, where the cleric commented inappropriately on her attire.
During the debate, Rashidi cited what he called an "embarrassing" picture from the meeting of Dimple Yadav, who was wearing a saree. "Look at her (Dimple Yadav's) back. It is naked".
The complaint accused Rashidi of making statements that were not only derogatory and misogynistic but also "highly provocative, aimed at inciting religious disharmony and communal tension," according to the FIR.
Pravesh Yadav alleged that Rashidi's comments, which were made publicly on social media and national television, were "an affront to a woman's personal dignity" and appeared to be a deliberate attempt to provoke unrest.
"He made extremely offensive, inflammatory, and anti-women remarks against the honourable MP Mrs. Dimple Yadav, wife of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, following her presence at a mosque on July 26," Pravesh Yadav stated in his written complaint.
"Such statements not only hurt women's dignity but also threaten the unity, integrity, and peace of the nation," he added.
The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 79 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), Section 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, etc.), and Section 197 (imputations or assertions prejudicial to national integration), among others.
Provisions under the Information Technology Act have also been invoked due to the circulation of the content on digital platforms.
In his complaint, Pravesh Yadav further alleged that Rashidi's language and tone indicated an "anti-national mindset" and linked him to a group "working to disturb social harmony in India." "Such elements pose a direct threat to the secular, democratic, and inclusive fabric of the country," the complaint concluded.
A police official stated that the matter is under investigation, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.
Many BJP MPs on Monday held massive protests against Rashidi outside the Parliament. "We won't tolerate insult to a female MP," they said.
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