FIR Against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for posting 'fake' tweet on Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone Violence

A case was registered on Tuesday(12th April) against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for allegedly promoting religious enmity and disharmony after he tweeted a picture of a mosque in another state while commenting on communal violence at Khargone in Madhya Pradesh. In a tweet posted on Monday, Singh posted a picture showing a group of youngsters hoisting a saffron flag at a mosque and referred to the violence that broke out during a Ram Navami procession at Khargone. He deleted the tweet soon after posting.

A case was registered by the Crime Branch police station based on a complaint with respect to the posted tweet, Bhopal police commissioner Makrand Deuskar told the media. The commissioner further added that the case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth), 465 (forgery) and 505 (2) (public mischief). Complainant Prakash Mande, a Bhopal resident accused the Congress leader of sharing a fabricated picture and linking it to the Khargone violence.

 The complaint alleged that the tweet might have spread communal tension and affected the religious harmony in Madhya Pradesh. Did the Khargone administration allow a procession carrying weapons? Will bulldozers run over the homes of all those who throw stones, irrespective of religion? Is it appropriate to put up a flag at a religious place while holding swords and sticks?Don't forget Shivraj Ji; you have taken an oath to run the government in a fair manner, Digvijaya Singh tweeted with the picture.

BJP leaders, including Bhopal (Huzur) MLA Rameshwar Sharma, questioned the link of the picture to the violent incidents in Khargone, and some social media users claimed the picture was of a mosque at Muzaffarpur in Bihar. After Singh deleted the post, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also took to the bird app, saying that Digvijaya Singh had tweeted a photo of youths hoisting a saffron flag at a religious place that was not from his state.

The tweet is a conspiracy to spread religious frenzy in the state and push the state into the fire of riots, which will not be tolerated, the CM added. MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra alleged that Singh "wanted to fuel communal tension by spreading confusion," and the government will soon be seeking legal opinion on what action can be taken. Curfew was initiated in Khargone city on Sunday evening after stone-pelting during a Ram Navami procession triggered arson.