Kerala Police registers case against VHP leader Sadhvi Saraswati for exhorting violence during speech

The police registered a case against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Saraswati for allegedly exhorting violence and hurting religious sentiments during a speech at a Hindu convention near Kasaragod in Kerala recently. The case was registered under non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) like 295A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of a citizen), 153 (giving provocation with intention to cause riot) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) following a complaint filed by a person named Naufal, police said. [caption id=“attachment_3828113” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sadhvi Saraswati. Image courtesy: Twitter/@SadhviSaraswati[/caption] They said the sadhvi, while addressing a Hindu convention at Badiyadukki in northern Kerala’s Kasaragod district, tried to create tension with her inflammatory speech on 27 April. The convention was organised by the VHP and Bajrang Dal. Saraswati allegedly urged people to gift their sisters a sword so they can behead any ’love jihadi’. The Indian Express quoted Sadhvi Saraswati, who was the chief guest at the function on Friday, as saying, “Aapki kalai pe aapki behen rakhi bandhti hai. Aap isko uphaar mein kapde, gehne mithaiyan, jo bhi dete hai, uske saath saath apni behen ko uphar mein ek gift ke roop mein ek talwar bhi zarur aaj se de dena. Taaki koi bhi love jihadi aapki behen ke taraf aankh uthake dekhen toh aapki behen uska gala kaatke maa bharti ke charnon pe sambhalne ki taakat rakh sake (Your sister ties the rakhi on your wrist. You, in return, gift her clothes, jewelry and sweets. But along with that, gift her a sword also, so that even when a love jihadi glances at her, she would be brave enough to behead him and offer it at the feet of Mother India)." According to the report, Saraswati added that those who slaughter cows must be similarly slaughtered in public. Her remarks appeared to allude to the consumption of beef in the state. With inputs from PTI