FIR against Hojai BJP MLA for ‘defamatory remarks’ on writer

GUWAHATI: Multiple FIRs have been filed against Hojai BJP legislator Shiladitya Dev for allegedly defaming Sahitya Akademi Award winning writer and former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Syed Abdul Malik. Dev had allegedly referred to late litterateur Syed Abdul Malik an “intellectual jiahdi”.
One FIR was filed by the minority unit of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and one by Axom Sangrami Yuva Mancha at Hatigaon police station in Guwahati on Sunday.
Police said a case under IPC sections of 153A (promoting enmity between different group) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) had been registered against the BJP legislator for allegedly creating communal tension.
In its FIR, Salman Khan of APCC said Dev, an MLA with an intention to “promote enmity” between different groups on grounds of religion, community “has said our renowned writer of Assamese literature, a Padma Bhushan awardee Sayed Abdul Malik was an “intellectual jihadi”.
“His acts are prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups or communities in state of Assam, his acts already disturbed the public tranquility,” the FIR said.
Sadou Asom Goriya Moriya Deshi Jatiya Parishad, while staging a protest here, said Shiladitya Dev should be arrested for hurting the image of Assam’s one of the pioneering authors and trying to fuel communal tension in the state.
Asam Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary body in the state, while condemning the ruling BJP MLA’s comment, said the comment about Malik was “utter shameful”.
Sabha in its official statement said, “The controversial statement made by the Hojai MLA over former Sabha president Malik is highly condemnable. We strongly condemn such efforts to defame the noted litterateur who had made immense contribution to the state.”
Leader of opposition of the Assam legislative assembly Debabrata Saikia said, “By making the controversial statement, Dev exposed his own illiteracy and worst mentality in public.”
Earlier, state BJP leader Mominul Aowal also warned Dev to tender an apology before the people of Assam for his remarks.
Malik was the president of Sabha in 1977 held at Abhayapuri. Malik received many prizes, including Padmashri, Padma Bhusan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Sankar Dev Award, Xahityacharyya, among others.