Complaint against Urmila Matondkar over 'anti-Hindu' remark

Urmila Matondkar

A BJP worker has lodged a complaint with police accusing Bollywood actor and Congress' Lok Sabha candidate Urmila Matondkar of making anti-Hindu remarks, an official said Sunday.

The BJP worker also sought actions against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly instructing Matondkar to make the "calumnious comments" and journalist Rajdeep Sardesai allegedly for letting the actor make the remarks on his news channel and telecasting them.

Suresh Nakhua, a Mumbai BJP worker, in his complaint lodged with the Powai police here on Saturday claimed the remarks hurt the Hindu community's sentiments. Matondkar is the Congress' candidate from Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency. Nakhua said he submitted the complaint after watching Matondkar's interview on a television news channel in which she said the "Hinduism is the most violent religion in the world".

"We have received the application. After seeking a legal opinion, we will take further action," a Powai police station official told PTI. Nakhua said Matondkar's comments were "false, mischievous, deceitful and frivolous", and alleged they were made with a deliberate motive to cause disharmony among people and malign the country at global level.

The BJP leader, in a tweet, said, "Cong Candidate from Mumbai, Urmila Matondkar says: The religion which has been known for its tolerance has become the most violent!! This is abuse of Hindus!!!" He also alleged that Matondkar made these "malicious, mischievous and calumnious comments on the instructions and orders of Congress president Rahul Gandhi".

Nakhua further alleged that journalist Rajdeep Sardesai allowed Matondkar to make the comment and broadcast it on the television channel. He demanded action against Matondkar, Gandhi and Sardesai under sections 295A, 505 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The sections respectively pertains to committing "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings", making "statement causing public mischief" and "acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention".

When contacted for his reaction, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the ground was slipping from beneath the BJP's feet. Sensing defeat in Mumbai North, earlier an attempt was made to peek into Matondkar's personal life and marriage and now they are trying to polarise voters, Sawant said.

"The BJP has realised voters prefer Urmila rather than the incumbent MP (BJP's Gopal Shetty)," he added.

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