Team News Riveting
Mumbai, January 6
The Mumbai police last night registered an offence against NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad over his remark that Lord Ram was a non-vegetarian.
The first information report (FIR) against the legislator was filed at the MIDC police station in Andheri late on Friday night, a senior police officer said. A similar case was registered against him in Pune on Friday.
Awhad, who represents Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is the member from Mumbra-Kalwa assembly constituency in Thane. The offence against Awhad was filed in Mumbai based on a complaint lodged by Gautam Ravriya, an office-bearer of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
The officer said the complainant claimed that he heard Awhad making objectionable remarks against Lord Ram on a news channel. The MLA was booked under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code.
Awhad kicked up a row three days ago when he said that Lord Ram was a non-vegetarian. “He used to hunt and eat. He is ours, of bahujans. You (an apparent reference to the BJP) are turning us into vegetarians, but we are following the example of Lord Ram and consuming mutton,” he said at an NCP conclave at Shirdi on Wednesday.
“Bahujan” is used to denote the non-Brahmin sections of society in Maharashtra. The MLA later said he would express regret if anybody’s sentiments were hurt.
