FIR lodged against him in Assam for trying to incite communal anger
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, rather known for making outrageous statements has once again triggered a controversy by terming mosques and churches as mere buildings during his visit to Guwahati. This time even his own party men tried to shy away from the controversial leader.
State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya said it’s his way of grabbing headlines. “It has nothing to do with the party. A leader like him should not do like this. We will inform the matter to the central party leadership. He is trying to grab the headlines by this way,” Bhattacharya said immediately after state reacted sharply to Swami’s comment.
Subramanian Swamy (Courtesy: india.com)
Swami said the presence of God is only in temples while mosques and churches are mere buildings.
Political parties, students’ bodies and others also slammed Swami for such statements. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a peasants’ body in the state has lodged an FIR at Latasil police station.
“Subramanian Swamy, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party visited the state of Assam and it is reported that he offered a speech at Bishnu Nirmala Bhawan under the jurisdiction of Latashil Police station. In a public meeting held in the Bishnu Nirmala Bhawan Mr Swami made certain comments against a particular religious group. In his provoking speech he claimed that ‘the Masjids are not religious place but a building for offering prayer and hence there is no fault in demolishing masjids’. The said word received wide publicity through electronic media. He along with the organisers of the meeting hatched a criminal conspiracy to promote enmity among people on the ground of religion,” read the FIR lodged by KMSS.
It further said that the words spoken by Subramanian Swamy are also prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious groups. “The accused Mr Swami deliberately uttered those words to wound the religious feelings of persons belonging to a certain religious group. Since such statement has the potential of, and has in fact, created a communally volatile situation in the state, under such circumstances we request you to register a case against Subramanian Swamy and other conspirators under appropriate section of law and arrest them immediately,” the FIR mentioned.
Congress, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) among others have condemned the BJP leader.
AIUDF chief and Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal said that Swami should apologize for such statement. “This was not at all expected from somebody like Swami who is quite a senior leader. His statements have hurt the sentiment of the people of the state,” said Ajmal.
AGP president Atul Bora said that statement like this has revealed the true character of BJP. “Swamy being a senior leader of BJP such statements by him reveals the true colour of the party. We condemn such attitude of Swamy and BJP. Swamy has no knowledge of the region. Here we live peacefully with communal harmony,” Bora said.
Besides, protests were staged across the state and several organizations have burnt the effigy of Swami.
Earlier also he made similar comments. Swamy had said that if an illegal Muslim immigrant was ready to convert to Hinduism then he could be allowed to stay in India during his last visit.