Delhi police have registered an FIR against an academic for a social media post that refers to the claims about a Shivalinga being found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex, officers said on Wednesday.
The FIR against Ratan Lal, associate professor with Delhi University’s Hindu College and an Ambedkarite, was lodged on Tuesday night on a complaint from a lawyer, Vineet Jindal, they added.
Lal said he was facing death threats and constant trolling, and had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking armed bodyguards or an AK-56 licence for himself.
“In India, if you speak about anything, someone or the other’s sentiment will be hurt. So this is nothing new,” Lal told PTI.
“I am a historian and have made several observations. As I wrote them down, I have used very guarded language in my post and still this (happens). I will defend myself.”
Lal said his letter to Modi requests two bodyguards armed with AK-56 rifles.
“If this is not possible, then instruct the appropriate authority to issue licence of AK-56 rifle (to Lal),” the letter says.
In his complaint, Jindal said Lal had recently shared “derogatory, inciting and provocating tweet on the Shivling”, an issue that the lawyer stressed was sensitive and was before a court. PTI
Many academics and others have expressed their support for Lal on social media.
Deputy commissioner of police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said: “A complaint was received on Tuesday night against Lal regarding deliberate and malicious post on Facebook intended to outrage feelings by insulting a religion and religious beliefs.”
Kalsi said the case had been registered under penal sections 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion) and 295A (malicious acts to outrage by insulting religion or religious beliefs).
A civil court-ordered survey had on Monday claimed to have found the purported Shivalinga in a tank on the mosque premises. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed the Varanasi district magistrate to ensure protection of the area without hindering Muslims from offering namaz at the mosque.
