New Delhi: Professor Ratan Lal, an assistant professor from Delhi University's Hindu College was booked by the police on Wednesday for an objectionable post on social media post. The post referred to the recent claims of a Shivling being found during an inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The police registered a case against him under IPC section 295-A (malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) for allegedly posting a photo of the structure and making objectionable comments on the previous day (Tuesday).
As his post went viral, Lal posted a video where he is seen asking the police for 'security' and help as he was being threatened by users online.
Professor Lal told The Indian Express: "I have not yet received any notice from the police, but if I do, I will cooperate with them. I was not expecting threats and abuses for this statement. There is a long tradition of critique in Hinduism from Phule, Ravidas and Ambedkar. Here, I haven't even critiqued it, it is just an observation. In our country, religious feelings get hurt over anything. What will people do, just put ¬patti on their mouths?"
Based on a petition from five Hindu women who sought access to pray at "a shrine behind the western wall of the mosque complex", on April 8, the Varanasi court appointed Advocate Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra to carry out an inspection of the site, "prepare videography of the action" and to submit a report. The videographic survey found evidences of a Shivling in the mosque premises. On Tuesday, the Varanasi district magistrate was ordered by the Supreme Court to secure that area without restricting the rights of Muslim devotees to access the mosque and offer Namaaz.