Nair Service Society’s (NSS) Vice President Sangeeth Kumar has moved the Kerala High Court seeking the quashing of FIR registered against him and several persons for holding a prayer rally in protest against the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamsheer’s remarks against Bhagwan Ganesha.
The CPI(M) leader, while speaking at an inaugural event in a school at Ernakulam, reportedly said that Bhagwan Ganesha is a ‘myth.’ The Hindu organisation, NSS, has said that it would take legal recourse against Shamsheer’s remarks if the Kerala Government failed to take appropriate steps against his remarks.
The Kerala Police took suo motu cognisance of the NSS protest rally and registered cases against the NSS members u/s 143/149 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 283 (obstruction in a public way) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and u/s 39, 121 and 77B of the Kerala Police Act.
The Kerala Police alleges that the members of NSS Thiruvananthapuram Taluk Union formed an unlawful assembly and conducted processions. The police allege that the accused members raised slogans on mic sets mounted on vehicles without permission from Kerala Administration. Furthermore, the police claimed that the NSS members caused inconvenience to the pedestrians and other vehicles near the Palayam Ganapathy Temple in Vanchiyoor on August 2 evening.
Sangeeth Kumar’s counsel submitted to the court that there was no unlawful assembly to attract the operation of Section 283 of the IPC. Furthermore, the counsel submitted that the NSS members were chanting prayers peacefully. Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V considered the case and directed the Kerala Government’s counsel to seek instructions while listing the case for the next hearing on August 11, Friday.
NSS Protests Against Anti-Hindu CPI(M)
On August 2, NSS, a Hindu organisation, observed Faith Protection Day, as a challenge to the anti-Hindu CPI(M) in relation to the blasphemous remarks made against Bhagwan Ganesha. The Kerala Assembly Speaker, while speaking at a school in Ernakulam, reportedly said that Bhagwan Ganesha is a ‘myth.’ The NSS General Secretary, G Sukumaran Nair, said that Shamsheer’s blasphemous remarks against the Hindu deity pierced the hearts of the Hindu believers.
Notably, the CPI(M)-led Kerala Government has registered cases against more than 1,000 people who participated in the NSS rally. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President AP Abdullakutty has claimed that the government’s actions are nothing but political vendetta.
Meanwhile, the BJP State President for Kerala, K Surendran, condemned the Kerala Government’s decision to register cases against the Hindu believers who rendered prayers for Bhagwan Ganesha. He further alleged that the CPI(M) Government’s move to register cases against Hindus is to create a religious polarisation to ensure the votes of Islamists.
It is pertinent to note that not just the Hindu leaders, but also leaders from other communities have come out against Shamsheer’s blasphemous remarks against Hindu deities. Advocate Biju Oommen, Secretary of the Orthodox Church, told the media that people who hold constitutional positions should not hurt the religious feelings of anyone. He further said that the CPI(M) leader should not have made such comments and that statements capable of generating communal feelings are not acceptable.
