Police in Madhya Pradesh arrested a college student on Saturday for allegedly sharing a morphed photograph of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Facebook, reported Hindustan Times. The police said the student had shared a morphed image of the face of the RSS leader on the body of a woman wearing tight-fitting trousers. The post was meant to make fun of the RSS’ recent decision to switch from shorts to trousers, said the report.
The police said the student was booked under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and Section 66 (A) of the Information Technology Act, a provision that allowed the police to arrest and prosecute anyone for posts online that cause offence or annoyance. The Supreme Court had ruled last year that this section was unconstitutional and struck it down.
According to the report, the arrest followed a complaint lodged at the Kotma police station in the Anuppur district on Thursday evening by activists of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. On Wednesday, police in the Khargone district arrested two people for allegedly posting a morphed image of Bhagwat on social media. They were booked under Section 67 of the IT Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form).
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!