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J-K police arrest social activist Waqar Bhatti for tweet on Shivling

May 27, 2022 13:53 IST

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday arrested social activist Waqar H Bhatti for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his tweet on Shivling which caused social media outrage.

IMAGE: Security personnel outside Gyanvapi masjid. Photograph: PTI Photo

Following his tweet, which was later deleted, netizens demanded his immediate arrest.

"FIR was registered following his tweet, which hurt religious sentiments," a senior police officer told PTI.

 

Bhatti was later arrested, he said.

Facing a backlash on social media, Bhatti had sought to clarify his tweet with another tweet saying, "I did not target any religion and why should I target when the matter is in court."

A few days ago, Delhi University Associate Professor Ratan Lal was arrested for his alleged objectionable social media post on claims of a Shivling at the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. He was granted bail a day later.

On May 16, a local court in Varanasi directed the district administration to seal a spot in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after counsels representing the Hindu petitioners claimed that a Shivling was found during a court-mandated videography survey.

A mosque management committee spokesperson disputed the claim, telling a television channel that the object was part of a "fountain".

A day later, the top court directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of an area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a Shivling was said to have been found and allowed Muslims to offer 'namaz' and perform "religious observances".

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