Indian actor Chetan Kumar, who works in the Kannada film industry, was arrested by the Bengaluru Police on Tuesday for a tweet that allegedly hurt religious sentiments.
Kumar had tweeted that “Hindutva is built on lies” and listed out “examples of lies” — Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar’s statement on the Indian nation; Babri masjid site as the birthplace of Rama; Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda killed Tipu Sultan”. He further shared that “Hindutva can be defeated by truth … truth is equality”.
His statement prompted a complaint by pro-Hindu organisations against him. A Bajrang Dal activist named Shivkumar filed a complaint stating that the actor has hurt the sentiments of ‘Hindus’. He was booked under 295 (a) and 505 (b) of the Indian Penal Code.
The police arrested Kumar from his residence on Tuesday, following which he was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
However, he was granted bail on Thursday.
Kumar was born and brought up in the United States and has been working for the welfare of farmers, workers, Dalits, and Adivasis.
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