Case registered in Maharashtra against former AMU student Sharjeel Usmani for delivering controversial speech

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 3 (ANI): A case has been registered against Sharjeel Usmani, a former student of Aligarh Muslim University, in Maharashtra for allegedly delivering a controversial speech at the Elgaar Parishad event in Pune on January 30, said state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday.
"A case has been registered against Sharjeel Usmani. He is not in Maharashtra and a team of Maharashtra Police has been constituted to catch him," said Deshmukh.
Following a complaint by the Pune regional secretary of Bharatiya Yuva Janta Morcha Pradip Gawade, an FIR was filed against Sharjeel Usmani under Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code, at the Swargate Police Station in Pune, for his speech at Elgar Parishad. This years' event was organised by retired Justice BG Kolse Patil.
Earlier today, BJP state president of Maharashtra Chandrakant Patil wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asking him to register an FIR against Usmani and take stern action for his speech.
"Strict action should be taken against the person who had hurt the sentiment of Hindu community in Maharashtra and across India, and this case should be used as a precedent so that nobody dares to use such words again,' Patil stated.
A delegation of BJP led by city wing party president Jagdish Mulik and Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol also met Pune City Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta and demanded 'sedition' charge should be added in FIR against Usmani.
According to Police Commissioner Gupta, a case under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code has been filed against Usmani, under which the accused can be imprisoned up to five years and shall also be liable to a fine for promoting enmity between groups on the basis of religion, race, language, etc.
Talking to ANI, the complainant Gavade said that BJP has also asked the police to file a case against the organisers of the event.
"We had filed a complaint day before yesterday where we asked the police to file a complaint immediately against Sharjeel Usmani for his speech in which he hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community. His speech also tried to provoke enmity between the two communities. He also said he doesn't believe in the Indian state, judiciary, and parliament. All in all, he doesn't trust the Indian state which is a clear offense under 124-A of IPC. We also requested that the organisers of the Elgaar Parishad event should also be prosecuted," said Gavade.
Mayor Mohol said the case under Section 153-A is not enough, and "the anti-national things Usmani said in his speech are on record. We demand that Section 124-A should."
BJP city wing president Mulik also demanded charges of 'sedition' should be added in FIR against Usmani.
"We condemn Shajeel's speech which tried to incite animosity among the community. The changes police register against him is not enough, and sedition should be added to it. People who talk against the nation can cause riots. If the police do not add charges of sedition against him, we will launch a city-wide agitation against," said Mulik.
Pune City Police on Tuesday filed an FIR against Usmani for a speech he delivered at an Elgar Parishad event in Pune.

Usmani had attended the Elgar Parishad event organised at Pune's Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on January 30. Soon after, a video of him allegedly using objectionable words against the Hindu community went viral and a demand for stern action against him was raised.
The Elgar Parishad event on December 31, 2017, organised by the Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada became controversial after provocative speeches were allegedly made in the event promoting enmity between people. It allegedly triggered the violence in Bhima Koregaon the next day.
The police investigation further found Maoist links in the Elgar Parishad 2017, leading to the arrest of 16 activists alleged to have links with the banned Maoist party.
Hyderabad-based poet Varavara Rao, Advocate Sudha Bhardwaj, Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde are among the accused who have been arrested in the case which is now being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). (ANI)