‘Khalistani’ Remark Row, FIR Registered Against BJP Leaders And Workers; Sikh Community Protest Continues

An FIR has been registered on Friday by the Kolkata police over the ‘Khalistani’ remark row against ‘unidentified’ Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders and workers, as protests led by the people from the Sikh community staged outside the Bengal BJP party headquarters in Kolkata entered into its fourth day. The complaint that was lodged with the  Bhowanipore police station on February 20 has been converted into an FIR under several non-bailable sections. 

BJP delegation led by state leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari was stopped ahead of Sandeshkhali from entering into the trouble hit village on Tuesday morning. Later, a video surfaced showing police officer IPS Jaspreet Singh who had stopped the delegation, lose his cool and was equally outraged after allegedly being called ‘Khalistani’ by Adhikari, following a confrontation. “Don’t insult my religion. Just because I am wearing a turban, you will call me Khalistani?” IPS Jaspreet Singh was heard saying in the video. Suvendu Adhikari has denied all the charges, but there are videos in circulation, contradicting his claims.

Following this, people from the Sikh community have launched an indefinite protest demonstration outside the BJP office in Kolkata demanding an  apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. BJP has called the protest a diversionary tactic by TMC to divert attention from the Sandeshkhali issue. 

“Unknown BJP leaders/members in pursuant to their common intentions uttered a derogatory remark as ‘Khalistani’ to an on duty Police officer who belongs to the Sikh community and thereby they intended to outrage not only this religious feelings but also intended to spread hatred on ill will between different religious communities” read the FIR that has slapped sections including 295 A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings, insults or attempts to insult the religion or religious beliefs), 505-2 (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and 34 (criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention) of IPC. Both sections 295(A) and 505(2) IPC are non-bailable sections. 

Representatives of the Sikh community on Thursday called on West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, and submitted a deputation, they demanded that action be taken against Adhikari. Meanwhile ‘Gurdwara Bara Sikh Sangat’ has sought time from Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the same, shot off a letter seeking her intervention, claiming the religious sentiments of the Sikh community have been deeply hurt. Banerjee has previously condemned the remark and called it an attempt to divide the nation.