City police book Pramod Muthalik for provocative speech

The High Grounds police have registered a suomotu case against Sri Rama Sene president Pramod Muthalik on the charge of making a derogatory speech spreading hatred against a community and promoting enmity between two groups.

On Sunday, Muthalik and his supporters staged a protest before the Gandhi Statue near Anand Rao Circle against Pejawar Mutt seer Vishweshatheertha Swami for hosting an Iftar party at the Udupi Krishna Mutt last Saturday on the occasion of Ramzan.

According to the case registered by High Grounds police, Muthalik is said to have delivered hate speeches hurting the sentiments of a specific community and said that he and his supporters would spill blood if an Iftar party or Namaz was allowed in any temple.

The police have registered a case under IPC Section 153 (a) — promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, IPC 295 (a) – deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, and IPC Section 506 for criminal intimidation.