An FIR has been registered against a senior Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a community, officials said on Tuesday.
The case was registered after a video, which surfaced online, purportedly showed Vikram Randhawa making the remarks, they said.
The party's Jammu and Kashmir unit has taken note of the video of former MLC Randhawa and served him a show cause notice on Monday, asking him to explain his position within 48 hours and submit a public apology.
"An FIR has been registered against Randhawa at a police station here under section 295-A and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code and further investigation is on," a police official said.
Section 295-A pertains to deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief, while section 505 (2) gives powers to the police to arrest anyone who makes a statement which creates or promotes enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.
Randhawa is accused of making disparaging comments over the incidents of celebration of Pakistan's win over India in a cricket match in the ongoing T20 world cup in Dubai.
In the showcause notice served to Randhawa on Monday, the BJP disciplinary committee, headed by Sunil Sethi, asked him to explain his position within 48 hours.
"A video has gone viral in social media in which you are seen making absolutely reckless and hatred promoting remarks against a particular community. This is unacceptable to the party and has brought disrepute and embarrassment to the party," the notice read.
BJP Jammu and Kashmir president Ravinder Raina, who ordered the disciplinary action against the former legislator, had said he was personally hurt after hearing the comments of Randhawa.
He said that the remarks "are totally against the basic principles of the party which believes in respecting all faiths and taking everyone along in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas'".
Randhawa's remarks have caused an outrage across Jammu and Kashmir with people demanding action against him in accordance with the law.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah has said, "So good to see this man making friends with Kashmiri people! He should be made an example out of and the law should deal with him firmly to dissuade others from being as abusive as this man has been."
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