Case filed over display of Godse’s portrait in Karnataka

Bengaluru

The police on Wednesday registered an FIR against unknown people for displaying a portrait of Nathuram Godse during a Ganesha procession in Chitradurga, officers said on Wednesday.

According to police officers, the FIR was filed following a complaint by Hanumanthappa, a resident of Jogimatti Road in Chitradurga, against the unidentified individuals who exhibited the photograph of Godse.

The Mahaganeshotsava samithi headed by VHP and Bajrang Dal organised a huge procession on October 8 for the immersion of Ganesha idol. During the procession, portraits of VD Savarkar, Hindu worker Harsha who was killed in communal clashes in Shivamogga and Sharath Madiwala, an RSS worker who was killed in Bantwal by miscreants, were also displayed. Another person, held a portrait of Nathuram Godse and under which there was an inscription that said “Akhand Bharat dreamer”.

The complainant alleged that the display of Godse portrait was perceived as an attempt to disrupt the social harmony, threaten law and order, and create unrest in the society. The images were shown in a manner that could disturb peace and potentially harm communal harmony, the complainant alleged.

“We have received the complaint on Wednesday and registered an FIR against unknown person who was holding the Godse photograph,” Chitradurga town police inspector N Tippe Swamy said. He said a case has been registered against an unknown person under IPC sections 505/1(C)(intent to incite, offence against any other class or community,) and 505/1(B)(intent to cause fear to public).

“We are verifying the CCTV footage to identify the accused as thousands of people from nearby areas participated in the procession,” he added. He said that so far, the police have not detained anybody for questioning.