Former MLA P C George arrested for hate speech after Kerala court cancels bail

thiruvananthapuram: Senior Kerala politician PC George was arrested on Wednesday after a Magistrate Court in Kerala cancelled the bail granted to him in a case where he made communal remarks against the Muslim community in a speech. He was later remanded to custody for 14 days in Poojappura Central jail in the capital.

A team of police officers from Thiruvananthapuram formally arrested and took him into custody from the Ernakulam AR camp, a senior officer said.

The court cancelled George's bail as he violated the condition by repeating the same offence.

George was arrested on 1 May but the district court later granted him bail on the condition that he should not make inflammatory speeches. But after another case was filed against him last week for making another round of provocative speeches in Vennala, Kochi, police approached the court again.

Speaking at the Ananthapurai Hindu Mahasammelan on April 28, PC George had made inflammatory comments against Muslims and Christians in the context of 'Love Jihad' (a term coined by right-wing groups to explain interfaith marriage between a Muslim boy and a girl from other communities).

Earlier on Wednesday, the Magisterial Court in Thiruvananthapuram allowed the plea moved by the police to cancel the relief granted to George on 1 May.

Meanwhile, George's son Shone George said he will move the Kerala High Court on Thursday for his father's bail.

Bharatiya Janata Party state president K Surendran condemned his arrest. "There are different yardsticks for different people. In Alapuzha, when PFI workers raised highly provocative slogans it took three days for police to act," he said.