Kerala News

Kerala Police File Case Against Union Min Rajeev Chandrashekhar Over Kochi Blast Remarks, KPCC Too Had Filed Complaints

October 31, 2023
The Commune

One day after a heated verbal dispute with the Kerala Chief Minister, the Kerala Police on Tuesday (31 October 2023) filed a case against Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology. He has been accused of posting “inflammatory remarks” on social media following the IED explosions at a convention center in Kochi’s Kalamassery on Sunday, which tragically resulted in three fatalities, including a 12-year-old girl.

Following a complaint made by the Kochi city police cyber cell, a non-bailable case was filed against Chandrasekhar. The charges against him include violations of IPC sections 153 (provocation for rioting) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), along with a violation of the Kerala Police Act section 120 (o), which pertains to causing nuisance and disrupting public order.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Tuesday (31 October 2023) strongly criticized the Congress and CPI(M). Taking to X, he mocked Rahul Gandhi from the Congress and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for jointly filing a case against him. He claimed that this legal action was an attempt to intimidate him because he had exposed their support for Hamas.

The Minister implied that both parties had joined forces for appeasement, despite holding opposing positions on many state-level issues. He also criticized both leaders, labeling them as the foremost appeasers in Indian politics. He emphasized their support for “dangerous, extremist, and violent” organizations like SDPI, PFI, and Hamas, which posed a threat to Indian security.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar from his X handle said, “So the two INDI alliance partners Rahul Gandhi and Pinarayi Vijayan have jointly filed a “case” against me. Two of the biggest appeasers in Indian politics who shamelessly appease poisonous radical violent organisations like SDPI, PFI, and Hamas, whose politics have caused radicalisation over decades from J&K to Punjab to Kerala and caused many innocent lives and security forces lives to be lost –  trying to threaten me with a case for exposing their appeasement of Hamas.”

In his post on X, the Minister also included a media report that a case has been filed against him, a complaint copy filed by the Congress’ Kerala unit, and an FIR copy.

In the late hours of 30 October 2023, Congress’ state unit in Kerala lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief against Rajeev Chandrasekhar, son of Congress leader and former defense minister AK Antony, Anil K Antony who is a BJP National Secretary, and a few others for allegedly making “hate comments” aimed at flaring up communal enmity in the state. The complaint was given by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee’s (KPCC) Digital Media Cell Convener Sarin P.

The filing of cases on senior BJP leaders comes after the Ernakulam blast on 29th October. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar criticized Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not acting tough on calls for Jihad by Hamas terrorists after videos surfaced of Hamas founding member Khaled Mashal addressing a meeting in Malappuram. He also slammed the Communist CM for participating in a pro-Palestine rally calling it appeasement politics. 

Following the incident, he posted on X, “Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) Pinarayi Vijayan besieged by corruption charges. Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians.” 

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