The Gujarat police have registered two FIRs against a group of people for holding protests against French President Emmanuel Macron by pasting his posters on the road, defacing and walking on them on November 1 and November 2. Among the persons booked for the offence is a municipal councillor said to be associated with the Congress party.
One FIR was filed at Vejalpur police station last night against eight persons including Haji Asrarbaig Mirza, the councillor, Yunus Sabarhussain Kadri, Najma M Kureshi, 46, Mohammad Yunus, Mustakim Abdulkadir Master, Mohammad Salim Shaikh and Abdulhamid H Shaikh. The owner of the printing press, which printed the posters and yet to be identified, has also been booked along with 10 to 15 unidentified persons.
The complainant in the case is a police constable Jogabhai Karmanbhai posted as Vejalpur police station's surveillance squad. The FIR has been registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code including 269 (negligent act likely to spread inspection), 270, (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, to be read of section 120 b (conspiracy). The FIR also includes sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, Disaster Management Act and Press and Books Registration Act.
A similar FIR was registered at Shahpur police station in Ahmedabad last night against unidentified persons. The FIR states that on November 2, about 30 to 40 posters insulting French President were found pasted on public property. The FIR claims that those posters were "inciting." It says that in view of COVID-19, no one is permitted to paste posters on public property which has the potential to spread the infection of covid-19. This FIR is based on a complaint submitted by an LRD constable Ronaksinh Sureshbhai posted at Shahpur police station's surveillance squad.
A few days back, Anand district police also registered an FIR against five persons on similar charges. The protesters are said to be angry with the French President's remarks which reportedly insulted the Prophet.