A case under non-bailable sections has been registered against Sadhvi Saraswati, a Hindutva hardliner, for making divisive comments aimed at promoting enmity and hatred between religious communities at a gathering in Kasaragod district in the state. The case has been filed at the Badiadka police station in the district, four days after the controversial preacher made the remarks at a public gathering.
An officer at the police station told indianexpress.com that the case under sections 295(a), 153 and 506 of the IPC has been booked against the sadhvi in response to a complaint by a private individual. He said that police has begun an investigation and is looking at gathering evidence of the remarks that were made at a function called the ‘Virat Hindu Samajotsavam’ organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) at the Badiadka-Bolgatta ground. Close to 10,000 people were reported to have attended the function.
On Friday, Sadhvi Saraswati, who was the chief guest at the function, said, “Aapki kalai pe aapki behen rakhi bandhti hai. Aap isko uphaar mein kapde, gehne mithaiyan, jo bhi dete hai, uske saath saath apni behen ko uphar mein ek gift ke roop mein ek talwar bhi zarur aaj se de dena. Taaki koi bhi love jihadi aapki behen ke taraf aankh uthake dekhen toh aapki behen uska gala kaatke maa bharti ke charnon pe sambhalne ki taakat rakh sake (Your sister ties the rakhi on your wrist. You, in return, gift her clothes, jewelry and sweets. But along with that, gift her also a sword from now on so that even when a love jihadi glances at her, she would be brave enough to behead him and offer it at the feet of Mother India).”
In continuation of such vitriolic statements, she went on to say that those who indulge in the slaughter of cows must be similarly slaughtered in public. Her remarks alluded to the consumption of beef in the state. She also added that no force can stop the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The sadhvi, who is no stranger to making controversial statements at public rallies, is the president of the Sanatan Dharma Prachar Seva Samiti and hails from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Her father was the Vidarbha convenor of the Bajrang Dal and from a young age, she has been associated with the activities of the RSS and the VHP.
In March 2015, a similar case was registered against her for making provocative statements at a function in Mangalore in Karnataka
