NEW DELHI: As the hullaballoo over the Gyanvapi issue sees new heights, an associate professor of the Hindu College has been booked for an ‘objectionable’ social media post regarding the claims of a ‘shivling’ being found at the mosque complex in Varanasi, said police on Wednesday. According to the police, Ratan Lal, an associate professor of History, on Tuesday posted a photo of the ‘shivling’ and made objectionable comments directed against a community.
The post came after the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the DM of Varanasi to ensure protection of area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a ‘shivling’ is said to be found in a government survey’.“FIR was lodged against Ratan Lal on Tuesday night based on the complaint filed by a Delhi-based lawyer,” said a senior police official. When reached out, the associate professor claimed he is being constantly attacked on the social media following his post and sought protection.
In his complaint to the police, advocate Vineet Jindal said the professor had recently shared “derogatory, inciting and provocative tweet on the shivling”. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said, “A complaint was received on Tuesday night against the professor regarding deliberate and malicious post on Facebook intended to outrage feelings by insulting religious beliefs.”
Acase under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) has been filed.