Once again, Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Digvijay Singh is facing backlash for his outspoken nature on social media. Following his statement against the minority Jain community, an FIR has been registered against him in the Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh. The Hindu activists who registered the FIR claimed that Singh was disrupting communal harmony with his controversial post.
What triggered the controversy?
A post was shared from the official Twitter (now X) account of Digvijay Singh, in which it was written that “Shivji’s idol was vandalized by alleged anti-social elements of Bajrang Dal in the Kundalpur temple of Shri Digambar Jain Siddha Kshetra, one of the grandest temples of the country, flourished by Acharya Shri Vidyasagar Maharaj ji. The Bajrang Dal menbers have strated a ruckus in the campus. The situation can take a serious turn anytime. This is a serious matter. The administration should take immediate action.”
आचार्य श्री विद्या सागर महाराज जी द्वारा पल्लवित , देश के सबसे भव्य मंदिरों में से एक , श्री दिगंबर जैन सिद्ध क्षेत्र * कुंडलपुर परिसर में , कल रात्रि से बजरंगदल के कथित असामाजिक तत्वों द्वारा शिवजी की पिंडी रख उत्पात शुरू कर चुके हैं.. स्थिति कभी भी गंभीर मोड़ ले सकती है। यह…
— Digvijaya Singh (@digvijaya_28) August 27, 2023
As soon as this post went viral, people associated with Jain Samaj and Hindu organisations started trying to find out how this could happen. After some time, it was confirmed to everyone that there was no such protest organised at the temple and the news shared by Singh was false.
After this, the members of Jain and Hindu society held talks with each other and then on August 29 gave an application in Kotwali, demanding registration of FIR against Digvijay Singh. The police investigated all the facts written in the viral post and then registered an offence against Digvijay Singh under sections 153-A (provoking anyone which may lead to rioting), 505(2) (assembly in place of worship) and 177 (furnishing false information) of the IPC.
What says the FIR?
Organiser accessed the copy of the FIR registered against Singh. As per FIR number 764/2023 registered at the Damoh Kotwali police station on August 29 by Yogendra Gaikwad on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh government.
In the FIR Gaikwad accused Singh of disrupting communal harmony in Damoh district by sharing false news on social media. Singh has also called the members of the Bajrang Dal as infringe elements and this has hurt the religious sentiments of the people from both Hindu and Jain communities. They demanded police action against the account holder or Singh if he was behind this.
As of now, the investigations are on this case.
What said the police?
CSP Abhishek Tiwari told the media that the application was given by Bajrang Dal’s District Convenor Shambhu Vishwakarma, in which it was said that a post from the Twitter account of Digvijay Singh is leading to the deterioration of communal harmony.
It was also pointed out that this is misleading news which may vitiate the communal atmosphere. After investigating the matter, the police registered an FIR against the accused. As far as the matter of arrest is concerned, the police are now ascertaining from where the account holder is operating this account and other facts are being collected, after that further action will be taken.
Previous cases against Singh
Readers must know that this is not the first time that a post from Singh has sparked controversy in the state leading to the registration of the FIR, there have been previous instances as well.
Organiser reported details of the FIR registered against Singh in July 2023, when he shared a controversial post about RSS’s Guruji Golwalkar.
Following his post, two separate FIRs (First Information Reports) were registered against Singh for posting a fake and misleading post against the second Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar. These FIRs were registered in the Indore and Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh.
On July 8, Singh posted a photoshopped image of Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar also known as Guruji, to incite people against RSS. The post intended to create hatred and enmity among Dalits-backwards, Muslims-Hindus. The controversial post by Singh has hurt the sentiments of the entire Hindu community and the RSS. It has been alleged the primary objective of such a controversial post by Singh was to create social unrest.
While sharing the post Singh captioned it as, “Do know what Guru Golwalkar ji’s thoughts were for Dalits, backward and Muslims and on rights over national water, forest and land.”
https://twitter.com/digvijaya_28/status/1677464306202574848?s=20
As per the FIRs, Singh was booked under sections 153-A (attack on race, religion etc), 469 (Forgery), 500 (defamation), and 505 (punishment for circulating rumours) of the IPC. The First complaint was registered at the Tukoganj police station of the Indore district and the other at the Guna police station of the Guna district.
Keshav Sharma, an RSS swayamsevak and resident of Guna district in his complaint told the police that the post by Singh has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and many swayamsevaks and admirers of RSS. The workers at the organisation are known for their exemplary sacrifices in life and not the misleading allegations made by Singh. This is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the social image of Sangh.
Here is what the FIR said:
Notably, Digvijay Singh has sparked controversy against RSS or its leader. In the past also, there was outrage after Singh compared the RSS to the Popular Front of India (PFI). He had said that the PFI and the RSS were the two sides of the same coin. His remarks had come at a time when the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a major crackdown at different places across India had arrested almost 100 PFI leaders.
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