Student leader Sharjeel Usmani booked for 'promoting enmity' at Elgar Parishad conclave

New Delhi: Sharjeel Usmani, the former student leader of Aligarh Muslim University has been booked on charges for "promoting enmity between different groups". Pune Police registered an offence against him for provocative speech at 'Elgar Parishad 2021' held on January 30.

A complaint was filed by BJP's youth wing local leader Pradip Gavade against Usmani in Swargate police station. He was booked after a preliminary probe based on the complaint in Tuesday night.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta told Usmani was booked under section 153(A) of IPC (which states promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race etc is an act of punishment)

On January 31, one day after the Elgar Parishad, Maharashtra Unit BJP spokesperson had urged Chief Minister and state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to take action against Usmani for defaming Hinduism. In response to this, Anil Deshmukh said the government will examine if there were "objectionable comments" made at the event by him.

On Tuesday, leader of the opposition, Devendra Fadnavis wrote a letter to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray seeking action against Sharjeel Usmani. "This youth comes to Maharashtra, maligns Hindutva without any fear and displays his rogue behaviour and there is no action against him? This is really surprising. This is very insulting to all of us. I sincerely hope that after receiving the letter, you will take necessary action and teach him a lesson", his letter reads.

The second edition of Elgar Parishad was held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch at Pune. Apart from Usmani, Kannan Gopinath, Arundhati Roy, Ayesha Renna, Prashant Kanojia made speeches at the anti-caste conclave.

Sharjeel Usmani (24) has been arrested in 2020 by Uttar Pradesh Police for his alleged role in communal violence that broke out in the name of Citizenship Amendment Act. He is currently out on bail.