Coimbatore: The city police have registered a case against Hindu Munnani and BJP cadres, and some Muslims for creating tension during a bike rally conducted as part of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's election campaign for BJP’s Coimbatore South candidate Vanathi Srinivasan on Wednesday.
Ukkadam sub-inspector S Balachandar had lodged a complaint on Wednesday. “Around 1pm, 300 Hindu Munnani and BJP cadres, who conducted a bike rally, raised slogans such as ‘This is a Hindu country’, ‘The country is owned by Hindu people’, ‘Jai Kali’, ‘Om Kali’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. It angered a group of Muslims gathered near a footwear shop on Big Bazaar Street, who also raised slogans. Some BJP and Hindu Munnani cadres stopped their bikes and walked towards the Muslim people. Tension prevailed in the area and traffic was also affected. People from both sides used filthy language to abuse each other. Meanwhile, a person threw a stone at a shop,” the complaint said.
The Ukkadam police registered a case against the troublemakers under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 506 (i) of the Indian Penal Code. Police have collected video footage of the bike rally to identify the people.
Meanwhile, Vanathi on Thursday said the stone pelting incident was a minor issue. “People should understand who blew up the issue. BJP is not attempting to create tension in Coimbatore. Serial bomb blasts happened in Coimbatore during the DMK regime,” she said.
The Peelamedu police registered an FIR against BJP district president Nandakumar, Hindu Munnani state secretary Kishore, district president Dhasaradhan, Hindu Munnani functionaries Guna, Sathishkumar, Narayanana and others for conducting the rally, creating nuisance to the public and causing traffic jam. They failed to wear face mask and did not maintain social distancing, police said. They were booked under sections 143, 188, 269 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.