Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami (Left)
Credit: DH Photo/B K Janardhan
Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have booked Vishwa Vokkaligara Maha Samsthana seer Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji for his alleged remarks against the Muslim community and their voting rights during a protest in Freedom Park on Tuesday.
Upparpet police booked Chandrashekaranatha Swamji under BNS Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) following a complaint from a 39-year-old social worker, Syed Abbas.
Abbas alleged that the seer delivered a hate speech against the Muslim community and the Waqf Board during a protest related to the ongoing debate about farmers land and the Waqf Board, organised by Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.
Citing a purported video of the protest which showed Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji addressing the gathering, Abbas alleged that the seer called for cancelling the voting rights for Muslims and wiping out the Waqf Board. The seer stressed that only when the said things are done can Indians live peacefully, Abbas told the police.
He further alleged that the seer urged dissolving the Waqf Board even at the cost of the fall of the government.
According to Abbas, Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji claimed that there was no voting power for others (non-Muslims) in Pakistan, and a similar law should be commissioned in India wherein voting powers of Muslims are revoked.
Furthermore, the seer claimed that the Muslim community will keep to themselves when these amendments are made and everyone will be at peace, Abbas told the police.
A well-placed police officer said that they have filed an FIR and are yet to record the seer’s statement.
A day after the purported video of his speech received wide criticism, Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji apologised. However, leaders across the parties condemned the seer’s remarks.