Case registered after child seen raising hate slogans in PFI rally in Kerala

The police said the case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including promoting enmity between different religious groups.
A boy perched on a man's shoulder, raising his arms
A boy perched on a man's shoulder, raising his arms
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The Kerala Police on Monday, May 23, registered a case after a viral video showed a minor boy raising hate slogans at a rally organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Alappuzha district of Kerala. The police said the case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 153A, which deals with the offence of promoting enmity between different religious groups.

A short video of a boy sitting on the shoulder of a person during the "Save the Republic" rally held by the PFI in Alappuzha on May 21 and raising hate slogans has gone viral on social media. The slogans called for ‘sanghis’ to ‘live properly' or they will have to ‘get ready for their final rites’. Hate slogans against Christians were also raised in the rally. The boy is heard shouting slogans to keep ‘frankincense’ ready - used in Christian funerals and other Hindu rituals.

The sloganeering by the child evoked criticism from various quarters. "The case has been registered against the organisers of the event. Section 153 A has been charged. The case is also against the group of people with whom the minor boy attended the rally," a police officer told PTI.

According to the FIR, a case has been registered against PFI district secretary Mujeeb, district president Navas Vandanam and other PFI activists under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief), 505(1)(c), 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 34 (acts done by several persons with common intention) of IPC and 120(o) (the penalty for causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act.

The complaint was filed by Advocate PK Vijayakumar alleging that a small boy was perched on the shoulder of a man and was made to raise hate slogans and slogans that might cause communal disturbance.

The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had demanded action against the organisers of the rally, saying they violated Section 75 and Section 83 of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015. The commission had also sought from the Kerala Police an action taken report, along with a detailed fact-finding enquiry report, within seven days of receipt of this letter. The case was registered after the NCPCR notice to the Kerala Director-General of Police (DGP).

Meanwhile, the PFI, in an internal note, which was made available to the media, said such slogans were against the policy of the outfit and would look into the matter.

"We have given approved slogans which were to be raised in the public rally at Alappuzha. Thousands of party workers and others joined the rally protesting against the RSS. The visual of a boy raising slogans came to our notice now. Those slogans were not approved or given by the organisers of the rally. It's not the policy of the organisation to provoke or raise provocative slogans," PFI State secretary CA Raoof said in the note. Raoof said steps would be taken to avoid such shortcomings.

Hours before the PFI rally, Bajrang Dal workers took out a "shaurya rally" in Alappuzha raising slogans that "the country cannot be handed over to anti-nationals and communalists".

Last year, Alappuzha witnessed back-to-back killings of a state leader of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the PFI, and a state BJP leader within 12 hours.

Catholic Bishops alleged that the Kerala government was reluctant to take action against outfits involved in extremist activities and that such attitude to allegedly please communal outfits was, the priest said, extremely detrimental to national security.

In a statement, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) referred to the incident involving the boy and without naming the organisation, said Kerala was shocked to hear such slogans during the rally organised by the outfit which has often been accused of extremist activities.

"It is a mystery that the government is not ready to intervene in such a situation," said the statement signed by KCBC spokesman Fr Jacob Palackappilly.

"Such attitudes that please communal outfits are extremely detrimental to national security and the future of the State. The government must be prepared to treat everyone equally before the law, and to investigate and take action on the more serious crimes with undue importance," KCBC said.

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