Pune: The city police registered a case of sedition against unidentified persons in connection with the burning of a copy of the Constitution by anti-reservation activists during a protest in New Delhi earlier this week.
The Deccan police station registered an FIR under IPC Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting disharmony or enmity between two groups), 295 (defiling any place of worship or an object with intent to insult the religion of any class), 298 (uttering words with deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person). The case was also filed under relevant sections of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Pune Police acted on a complaint filed by Satish Gaikwad of the Republican Party of India (Secular). Authorities said Mr. Gaikwad submitted a CD containing a clip of the incident in which members of an anti-reservation group are allegedly seen burning of a copy of the Constitution and raising slogans against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the SC/ST communities.
This is the second FIR registered in this case after the Delhi police on Friday had booked protesters of the anti-reservation group Youth for Equality for the action.
The video of YFE activists burning the Constitution, which went viral, prompted protests from Dalit outfits across the State. RPI (A) leader Ramdas Athawale, who is also Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, has demanded the culprits be arrested.
