A picture of a banner supposedly erected by an alleged Islamist party Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) had surfaced on social media in which Hindu Gods Ram, Lakshman and Sita were portrayed in a derogatory manner while targeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over Manipur violence.
The banner had caricatured images of Narendra Modi as Lord Ram and Amit Shah as Lord Lakshman holding bow and arrows standing on either sides of a naked woman (Goddess Sita), hinting at the horrific incident in Manipur in which a woman was paraded naked and sexually assaulted. The Indian tricolour can be seen covering the female genitals and the breasts of the caricatured woman.
“Massive protest against sexual assaults on women in Manipur”, reads the lines in Tamil below.
The banner was erected by MH Jawahirullah’s party Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) belonging to Batlagundu Town in Dindigul district.
MMK is an Islamist fundamentalist party in Tamil Nadu headed by M. H. Jawahirullah who is currently an MLA from Papanasam. The MMK is part of the DMK’ “Secular Progressive Alliance”.
வத்தலக்குண்டு பகுதியில் மதம் கலவரத்தை துண்டு விதமாக வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பிளக்ஸ் pic.twitter.com/5IsP7yCv1k
— VSP.Marutharaj Bjp🚩🚩🚩 (@rajmaru1974) July 28, 2023
The incident was brought to light by VSP Marutharaj who is the District Secretary of BJP Tamil Nadu’s Data Management Cell, Dindigul West following which there was social media outrage.
Muslim political party in TN Manidaneyea Makkal Katchi,has kept a poster like this.
Will the CJI take any action or will DMK…??@tnpoliceoffl do u want us to be silent without replying or are u going to take action against those who kept this poster. pic.twitter.com/k5oBf0nxaK
— Indu Makkal Katchi (Offl) 🇮🇳 (@Indumakalktchi) July 29, 2023
The below poster is by ManidhaNeya makkal katchi, Muslim party in TN, condemning #ManipurHorror
They have the audacity to insult Hindu gods.
Bt Nupur has to go underground, For quoting from Hadith. But anyone can mock Hindus.
Will @Dev_Fadnavis call for hanging this ppl pic.twitter.com/a3cTIyKgdm— Devi Uvacha|உவாச| उवाच 🇮🇳 (@Devi_Uvacha) July 28, 2023
They can audaciously make such posters because they know there will be no danger of STSJ https://t.co/5O8zxs2gRO
— ࿗ இளையபிராட்டி 𑀓𑀼𑀦𑁆𑀢𑀯𑁃 ࿗ (@Kunthavi5) July 28, 2023
The Commune had reported about the incident on 29 July 2023 and had also reached out to Jawahirullah for comments.
After social media outrage by Hindus and The Commune’s report on the incident, Jawahirullah took to social media and apologized for the derogatory board placed by members of his party.
He accepted that an unsolicited billboard for this demonstration was put up by a few party members. He claimed that when it came to the knowledge that such an advertisement board had been put up, the ‘top management of the party immediately took action to remove the board. He further claimed that it was removed even before the protest meeting started.
“Manithaneya Makkal Katchi is not a party that works with the intention of hurting members of any religion. Those responsible for this unwelcome banner were severely reprimanded. The party has taken disciplinary action against them. I’m sorry if anyone’s feelings were hurt by this banner.”, Jawahirullah said.
திண்டுக்கல் மாவட்டம் வத்தலக்குண்டில் மணிப்பூர் தொடர்பாக மனிதநேய மக்கள் கட்சியின் சார்பாக கண்டன ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் நடைபெற்றது.
இந்த ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்திற்காக ஒரு விரும்பதகாத விளம்பர தட்டி ஒன்று கட்சியை சேர்ந்த ஒரு சிலரால் வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இப்படியான ஒரு விளம்பர தட்டி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக…
— Jawahirullah MH (@jawahirullah_MH) July 29, 2023
It is noteworthy to mention that the DMK government has been alleged to be going after individuals who criticize the government on social media through posts and memes by slapping non-bailable sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) like Sections 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief). No action seems to have been taken against Jawahirullah’s MMK whose banners warrant action against the above sections of the Indian Penal Code.
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