After Pune police turned down complaint against singer Sonu Nigam’s tweet allegedly hurting religious emotions, social activists in Pune have filed criminal case against the singer in Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pune.
They demand that Sonu Nigam should be booked for hurting religious emotions of people and creating enmity among people of different religions.
Hemant Patil and Anwar Shaikh, two social activists of Bharat against Corruption, from Pune approached Sahakar Nagar police station earlier to lodge FIR against the singer. But police turned down their request. Hence, they have filed criminal case against him at Judicial Magistrate First Class. The case will be heard on April 28.
On April 18, Sonu Nigam, tweeted, “God bless everyone. I’m not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India. And by the way Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam.”
He added, “Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison? I don’t believe in any temple or gurudwara using electricity. To wake up people who don’t follow the religion. Why then..? Honest? True? Gundagardi hai bus.”
Hemant Patil, complainant, said, “Sonu Nigam is a popular singer but nowadays his career has been seeing downfall. To boost his career, Sonu Nigam has written down these tweets. He has hurt sentiments of people of Islam, Hindu and Sikh. That is why he must be tried for hurting religious sentiments, creating enmity among different religions.”
He added, “He has connected Azan, sacred prayers of Islam, with hooliganism. He is a public figure and has many followers. It is possible that his followers will start hurting emotions of Muslims through various ways like tweets or speeches. Indian constitution guarantees freedom of speech but that does not mean public figures like Sonu Nigam to humiliate or curse against religious faiths. This is purely publicity stunt.”
Anwar Sheikh said, “Sonu Nigam has history to talk against religions. Earlier in 2015, he had made stamen criticising Kaalimata. There is police case against him in Samata Nagar police station in Mumbai. Now he has tweeted against Muslims.” They also claim that Sonu Nigam’s house is 2-kms away from Masjid.
Activists want Sonu Nigam should be booked for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings.
Source: The Free Press Journal, India