Kerala police book BJP's Anil Antony for 'promoting enmity' between different groups

Kasaragod (Kerala): Kerala police on Tuesday booked BJP's Anil K Antony for sharing a post on a social media platform in which he allegedly commented on an incident involving burqa-clad women.

Kasaragod district cyber cell said Antony's post on social media platform X was deemed as promoting enmity between different groups, leading to the registration of the case under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Section 153A of the IPC deals with the non-bailable offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth or residence.

The FIR against Antony, which was lodged on October 27 by the Cyber Cell on its own, was initially against unknown persons in connection with a controversial post on X.

Subsequently, Antony allegedly shared the post and commented on it, saying, 'No bus rides without a burqa in northern Kerala'.

On Tuesday, his name was added to the FIR as an accused, police said.

Antony, who is the BJP's national secretary and spokesperson, has not reacted to the development.

This action against Antony follows an earlier FIR against Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

He was booked for statements made on social media regarding the recent blasts near Kochi and an unrelated event organised by an Islamist group in Malappuram district in which a Hamas leader allegedly addressed the audience virtually.

Chandrasekhar was booked for the offences under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the IPC and section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act.

According to the FIR against the central minister on the complaint by a sub-inspector (SI) of Kochi city Cyber Cell of the police, Chandrasekhar posted statements and video on his social media accounts with the intention of disrupting the communal harmony in Kerala and inciting violence.