'Hate' speech at Panjab University: Farm activist Navdeep Jalbera booked in Ludhiana

The Ludhiana police have registered a case against farm activist Navdeep Singh Jalbera, a resident of Haryana, for “hurting religious sentiments” of Hindus. Jalbera had allegedly spoken against Brahmins while addressing a gathering during a protest at the Panjab University, Chandigarh, recently.

The case has been registered under Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion and religious beliefs) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on the complaint of Rajeev Sharma, a resident of Ludhiana.

The complainant alleged that the accused had hurled derogatory, casteist remarks against Hindu Brahmins during the rally at the university. He stated that the video of the “hate speech” had also gone viral on social media — WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube etc — which “caused distress” among community members.

“In the video, Jalbera could be heard saying that Brahmins should not be allowed to rule here. With such words, he has only hurt the feelings of Hindu and Brahmin communities, he also tried to create racial and religious division in the society,” the complainant stated.

“Such statements are not only against the ethics of Panjab University educational institutions but can also become a threat to social harmony and communal unity in Punjab,” Sharma stated in the FIR.