By Maktoob
The Thrikkakara Police in Kochi have registered a case against Hindu Aikya Vedi president R.V. Babu over Islamophobic and defamatory remarks in a social media post that linked the Muslim community to drug trafficking and terrorism.
The remarks were made in the context of the Kerala Police’s anti-narcotics campaign, Operation Toofan, after Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala sought the support of Samastha leader Jifri Muthukoya Thangal for the state’s anti-drug initiative.
Babu’s Facebook post read: “It is a good thing that the Home Minister has sought the support of Samastha leader Jifri Muthukoya Thangal for promoting Operation Toofan, the anti-drug campaign being implemented by the Home Department to make Kerala drug-free. More than leaders of other communities, it is the leaders of Samastha and their associates who should take the lead in this matter. This is because the majority of those involved in the widespread sale of narcotic drugs in the state and in smuggling them into Kerala belong to their own community, which is a matter of shame for that community itself. Whether it is drug trafficking or terrorism, nothing happens here without the knowledge of ‘njammante aalkaar’ (literally meaning ‘our people’, a derogatory slang term used to refer to Muslims.)”
The complaint, filed by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Ashraf Vazhakkala, alleged that Babu’s social media post contained false and baseless statements that defamed the Muslim community and its leaders and had the potential to incite communal discord.
Based on the complaint, police have booked Babu under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Kerala Police Act for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups, hurting religious sentiments, disseminating false information, and causing public nuisance.
Police said Babu will be summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
Hindu Aikya Vedi is a Hindutva organisation in Kerala associated with the RSS.
R.V. Babu has faced multiple allegations over the years for making Islamophobic remarks.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com.