A Sangh Parivar outfit leader was on Monday booked for allegedly making a hate speech at a public function near here on Friday.
Addressing a function organised by the “Hindu Aikyavedi” at North Paravur, the outfit’s Kerala president K.P. Sasikala had allegedly urged secular writers to conduct “Mrityunjaya Homam” at Lord Shiva temples to save them from meeting a fate similar to that of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.
The 55-year-old Left-leaning journalist, Lankesh, a fierce critic of Hindutva politics, was shot dead at the doorstep of her house in Bengaluru while she was returning from her office on September 5.
The police said Ms. Sasikala has been booked under the charge of wantonly giving provocation with an intent to cause a riot. A case also has been registered against R.V. Babu, another leader of the Hindu Aikyavedi, for making a provocative speech at the function, the police said.
The case was registered based on a complaint by Congress MLA V.D. Satheeshan. Her speech, telecast by media, was criticised by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders.
Speaking in Kannur yesterday, Mr. Vijayan had said that asking thinkers and writers to conduct ‘Mrityunjaya Homam’ was meant to disrupt the progress made by Kerala society.
Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala urged the government to book Ms. Sasikala for her controversial speech under non-bailable sections of IPC.
The BJP and the Hindu Aikyavedi, however, alleged that the visual media had aired a “distorted version” of her speech.
