<p>Kottayam: A case has been registered against BJP leader P C George for allegedly making remarks that could incite religious hatred, police said on Saturday.</p><p>George, a former MLA, was accused of hate speech against a minority community during a TV discussion held earlier this week, they said.</p><p>The Erattupetta Police registered a case against the senior BJP leader on Friday based on a complaint filed by Muhammad Shihab, reportedly a representative of the Muslim Youth League Municipal Committee.</p><p>He was booked under Section 196(1)(a) and Section 299 of the BNS, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, police said, adding that further proceedings would be initiated soon.</p> .<p>Section 196 of the BNS penalizes actions or speech that promote enmity, hatred, or disharmony between different groups in society, while Section 299 deals with the deliberate and malicious act of insulting the religious beliefs of any class of people in the country.</p><p>Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act addresses causing a nuisance through repeated or undesirable communication, such as calls, letters, messages, or emails.</p><p>"The case was registered on Friday after the complainant's statement was recorded," a police officer said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the BJP strongly condemned the police case against George and alleged that it was a "political vendetta" by the LDF government.</p> .<p>Senior BJP leader and the party's Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar accused the CPI(M)-led Left government of not speaking out against Palestinian outfit Hamas.</p><p>Defending George, Javadekar said he had already clarified that he intended to express opposition to extremism and not to target any community.</p><p>"FIR against P C George is a political vendetta by LDF government, which doesn't say a word against Hamas..." he posted on his 'X' handle.</p> .<p>"UDF is also guilty of appeasing extremist politics... P C George has already clarified that he intended to express opposition to extremism & not to target any community. Kerala stands firmly against extremism," he added.</p><p>BJP state chief K Surendran also criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for registering the case against George and said the party would face the case legally and politically.</p><p>He also alleged that the government registered the case under pressure from communal forces. </p>
<p>Kottayam: A case has been registered against BJP leader P C George for allegedly making remarks that could incite religious hatred, police said on Saturday.</p><p>George, a former MLA, was accused of hate speech against a minority community during a TV discussion held earlier this week, they said.</p><p>The Erattupetta Police registered a case against the senior BJP leader on Friday based on a complaint filed by Muhammad Shihab, reportedly a representative of the Muslim Youth League Municipal Committee.</p><p>He was booked under Section 196(1)(a) and Section 299 of the BNS, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, police said, adding that further proceedings would be initiated soon.</p> .<p>Section 196 of the BNS penalizes actions or speech that promote enmity, hatred, or disharmony between different groups in society, while Section 299 deals with the deliberate and malicious act of insulting the religious beliefs of any class of people in the country.</p><p>Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act addresses causing a nuisance through repeated or undesirable communication, such as calls, letters, messages, or emails.</p><p>"The case was registered on Friday after the complainant's statement was recorded," a police officer said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the BJP strongly condemned the police case against George and alleged that it was a "political vendetta" by the LDF government.</p> .<p>Senior BJP leader and the party's Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar accused the CPI(M)-led Left government of not speaking out against Palestinian outfit Hamas.</p><p>Defending George, Javadekar said he had already clarified that he intended to express opposition to extremism and not to target any community.</p><p>"FIR against P C George is a political vendetta by LDF government, which doesn't say a word against Hamas..." he posted on his 'X' handle.</p> .<p>"UDF is also guilty of appeasing extremist politics... P C George has already clarified that he intended to express opposition to extremism & not to target any community. Kerala stands firmly against extremism," he added.</p><p>BJP state chief K Surendran also criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for registering the case against George and said the party would face the case legally and politically.</p><p>He also alleged that the government registered the case under pressure from communal forces. </p>